The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-05-22

or infraction of those laws is punish
ed and his plant and product Is con
fiscated. 1t is useless for any honest
mind to attempt to deny the existence
of this partnership, and if the peo
pie OF the United States have deter
mined that they no longer desire to
purchase and use our products. we
repeat that all we ask is a dissolution
OF this partnership upon terms evinc-
ing integrity on the part of the gov
ernment and upon terms of justice to
ourselves.
/ What Switzerland Did.
When the government of Switzer.
land decreed the abolition of absinthe
within its borders, II prescribed com.
pensation to all manufacturers and
dealers for plants, stock on hand and
good will.
II further decreed compensation to
all the employees of dealers and manu-
Iacturers, and this scheme of compen-
sation extended down even TO the
women and children who cultivated
the fields In producing the herbs used
III the manufacture of absinthe.
A similar policy is observed by the
government in England when it extin-
cuisines the licenses OF public houses,
the British synonym for what we
Americans call saloons"
No man is robbed OF his posses.
slons for an alleged public good. II
ne is required to retire from business
Tor the alleged good Of the public. the
puDhc is expected to compensate him
for the sacrifice which he is asked to
make
Not finger has ever been raised
by any man"engaged in the production
Oh distilled liquors in this country to
create a demand for his products.
Like all other merchants, he has
advertised his wares as possessing
special merits. against the products
OF his competitors, but he has in no
way created demand for these goods.
If the American people no longer
desire to purchase and use distilled
liquors, and if the government has
found other sources of revenue than
that derived from our products and is
disposed to decree that We must cease
TO manufacture and sell those prod
ucts TO fellow citizens who ask for
them, then We ask TO be honestly COM
pensated for the investments which
We have made under the encouraging
and fostering care of the federal gov
ernment in practical copartnership
which has existed for over sixty
years, | repeat with every restriction
and disadvantage to ourselves, but
with tremendous gain TO the revenue
of the government
mo industry has been burdened by
federal taxation and regulations as
ours has been and none more relent-
lessly assailed by fanaticism, yet in
spite of these restrictive forces the
public demand for our goods has stead
lily increased.
I'VE have not created this demand. !
We could not if We would. Therefore, i
the present controversy is not between 1
ourselves, relatively few in number as I
We are, and the alleged moral forces OF |
our country. The controversy is be- /
tween the millions OF American citi-
zeus who claim the right TO obtain and ,
use liquors, properly and soberly, and
that particular church organization,
which, in its efforts TO seize political
power. has seen fit to make the liquor
ssue stepping-stone 10 its subver-
sive and censurable designs"
The attitude of the liquor trades
men on the subject of the Hobson pro-
libition resolution is OF particular In
crest just now because the judiciary
committee OF the house has put that