The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-09-22
JOHN T. HOOD,
Editor and Manager.
THE OPEN SALOON QUESTION

every question that pert .lnS to the
vital interest af the community, and
this paper has never shown a DISPOSE
ton TO eyade any issue before the peo'
pie.
TIE quest!on of voting upon the open
saloon in this parish is no" before us
and tie people will be asked to settle
this proposition Cn December the first
at the EOlS. The issue vitalLY effects
the entire parish and this paper is in
tereSted in the proper determination OF
this important question.
We believe that the voters OF the
parish should register their votes
against this proposition.
We, of course, conCede that the op'
ponentS of the prohibition idea are en-
titled to fair consideration. They are
men who are doubtless honest in their
convictions and we for one are always
ready to accord fair hearing to their
arguments. This further observation
may be advanced that there is duty
resting upon those who favor the open
saloon to present openly to the people
the grou ids upon which their ConViC'
tons are based. If the open saloon
is really a good thing for a community
those who favor it should as good
citizens having the best interest OF the
community at heart show wherein the
benefits Of the open saloon lie in order
that these benefits may become as.
Sured to the community by the regis.
tered will of the majority. No man
should be asked to vote in favor of any
issue in the dark. In an issue like this
where the results Of the election so
vitality affect the whole parish no man
should ask another to vote either in
favor of or against the proposition
simply on the grounds of personal re.
lationShip or influence. Every vote
should be backed by d thorough con.
viCtioD based upon good sound iudg'
ment, the voter believing honestly that
the best interest of his community is
being served by that vote. A man who
is not endowed with this sense of re.
sponsibility is unworthy the right of
suffrage.
Upon the above lines we take it that
every thoughtful man will agree.
1t is but fair in the first place to con.
slider the arguments advanced by those
who favor the open saloon, and in this
connection there are about three ar.
gumentS advanced
First, a prohibition law abridgeS
mans personal liberty. Under this
idea they argue that man ought to
be permitted under the law to pursue
any aVocation he may choose. The ar.
gument at first may appear reasonable
but when analized leads to very absurd
conclusions. Pursuing this reasoning
alone a man ought to be permitted I'm.
der the law sto wrap rattle snakes in
gaudy attractive packages and retail
to innocent people. He ought to be
permitted under the law to sell broad.
cast the deadly germs of IeproSy to be
visited upon an unaSSuming COmmuni.
ty. The analogy only shows how alb.
surd the argument. The truth is the
law should look with due regard to the
effect OF mans conduct upon the com.
munity, and in this respect the law
should abridge mans personal liberty
whenever his conduct hurts or be.
comes a menace to the community.
Here is the test Of value of the reason.
ing, and that is whether or not the
open saloon then constitutes a menace
TO the best interest Of the community
and not merely resting upon queS,
ton Of personal liberty if by that we
mean a mans right under the law to do
whatsoever he pleaSes without regard
to what effect his conductwill have I'D.
on the community.
The second argument usually adj.
vauced is that the open saloon BRINGS
an increase of revenue to the town or
parish by way of license fees and thus
benefit the community. This argument
wonld be sound were it not met by so
many offsets in the way of additional
expense to the town and parish govern
mentS. The experience of every com.
munity where the open saloon exists
clearly establish the fact that the dock.
cts OF the courts are heavier with each
term of court. More criminals have to
be trie1. Jurorslmust be paid, prison.
erS must be fed and cared for. Add.
tional facilities must be added for
taking care OF the FauperS and the in.
sane, All these items are cared for at
public expense and the burden rests
heavily upon the tax paying people of
fhn DapiSh Tha 0FPCnfc ono On Fbao--