South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-03

as it destroyed. 1t simply meant
transition of labor from one kind Of
employment TO another. If a case
be made for the linotype. a stronger
one exists for prohibition.
The same is true of the market
situation. Who dares to say we
have such large production of corn
and barley that 10 cut off the LIQUOR
demand would mean an oversupply
and a ruined market? Surely no one
in these days of soaring prices and
| food riots. II would bring about a
substituted market A part of the
so cents would be spent for corn
and barley in the form of FORK or
other products And il would take
only a small part of the 90 cents
10 compensate the farmer 10 the ex-
tent that the liquor business now
cOmpensates him. The substituted
market would help us solve the
shortage Of food problem or help
supply the increased foreign de-
mand for food matriais
This restraint on liberty must
have some effect on the individual.
If he is restrained from doing
something injurious to himself, he
becomes better off, and through this
accomplishment society gains.
Even though il is seen that alco-
hol cannot stand on the bases we
have considered, would it not be IN
American to destroy the individuals
personal liberty in making him
cease drinking alcohol? And would
or 10 4 e.
justice to confscate The capital now
employed in the business?
our society has come TO recognize
personal liberty only in so far as
that liberty is not injurious 10 the
one claiming the liberty or others
You cannot go into the drug store
and buy any drugs you want. be-
cause society says you do not know
how TO use them without danger to
yourself. You cannot drive down
street at any speed you choose, be-
cause it endangers others, nor can
you build "A frame house in certain
districts, because it increases the
danger Of fire. You cannot go out
and murder, pillage, or break win
doWs, because society says you are
dangerous 10 yourself or others.
Does alcohol stand on different
/ basis?
The Question of Revenue
Our courts have upheld hundreds
| of cases Of regulation in which indi-
vidual property was confiscated.
/ They have merely said that the bus
/ mess was opposed to the welfare of
society and must go. Your individ-
ual property is yours until it be-
/ comes opposed to the welfare of So
ciety, and then the sovereign decides
what shall he done with it. The Ii
/ cuor business stands on no separate
/ basis. To destroy il would be con-
/ fiscatiOn, If you will, but confisca-
/ ton in accordance with well-estab-
/ lished American principle. In no
| case has the sovereign said howeV-
/ Ell. that you cannot take this capital
and use il in a way that will be for
/ the welfare OF society. And there
is a possibility here for much of the
/ property represented by the liquor
: business
, There remains the question OF
! revenue. Is not the liquor business
q valuable asset to or cities. states
| and nation, since it helps pay taxes !
! Prohibition will stop the expendi-
/ ture of about S1.05O. 100000 a year
/ for a substance which these political
units tax, and the revenue viii
cease So far as the national gov
eminent is concerned. it will mean a
loss of revenue except in so far as
/ this amount is spent-for other ar
ticles upon which the government
| leVies a revenue or excise tax But
there is no reason why the national
/ government cannot use other cour.
Ces for revenue. or increase the in
come from present ones. The baSi.
of tho TAX Will increase. as il mus
when men become more efficient
producers and save their earnings T.
I something durable instead ol
! spending them for something wors,
than nothing And as the case OF
the tax increases, the tax problem
gradually becomes less.
Put the overthrow Of the Houoi
traffic has another important rev.
enue aspect. II viii lessen the neeC
for revenue Without citing an,
statistics or percentages, we are SAT,
in saying that some Of our court
prison. and Institutional expense,
are due. either directly or Indirect
~. 20 the liquor business. To IN,
extent that such expenses are trace
able 20 this cause. BE il one-half
one eighth. or one-twentieth tn,
extinction OF the cause will canoe
the expense.
We have considered some OF tn
phases OF the liquor business tina
are not seen on tie surface. Whei