The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-01-21
EDITORIAL
COMMENT
From Our Exchanges

q better or more effective snow
removal system than Todd. This
is the common comment by those
whose business takes them through
out the state. The county fathers
have provided splendid equipment
which Is powerful enough to tackle
the drifts and open the roads. The
men In charge are on the job, too,
and the combination of good equip
ment and efficient personnel OPP
crates to give Todd county people
about as dependable use Of their
roads as 1t is possible to give
Long Prairie Leader.
State Liquor Dispensary Proposed
The first fruits of the many
state ownership proposals in Cow
ernor Benson's program Is the
bringing out Of a bill to put the
state in the business of dispensing
intoxicating liquors and comforting
upon the state a monopoly of the
business except as retail sale might
be permitted in hotels and IN mum
icipal liquor stores.
Details of the plan provide for
the appointment Of a liquor COM
missioner who will have exclusive
power to purchase, import and
have possession Of liquor. He would
have complete control Of licensing
and would fix prices.
A city would have authority to
decide whether 1t wanted q CITY,
owned store, a state-owned store,
or none at all. Profits would go to
the state or the city, as the case
might be. Hotels, restaurants and
clubs might have permits to sell IL
quor, but would have to purchase
from the state.
Other features Of the proposed
law include the prohibition Of adj
vcrtising, educational course to
promote temperance, and the Can
adian system Of personal permits
for the purchase Of liquor by the
bottle.
While this proposal for the state
ownership of the liquor business
comes from the Farmer-Labor par
ty, and so Is in entire accord with
it's political philosophy, yet the
main debate on the proposition is
likely to revolve around the police
aspect of the matter-the effective
ness of this method of controlling
the liquor traffic.
The state dispensary system is
not new. It was tried in other
states 40 years ago and was adver-
tised at the time as highly success
full, but in due time was abandon
ed. Minnesota never tried 1t, but
the states that did found that it
cured some evils of the liquor traf-
fic only to bring other evils-just
as every other method of attempt
ing to control the liquor traffic has
done.
OF course the bill will have the
opposition Of those now engaged in
the business, whose business the
enactment of the law win destroy.
However, 1t is IN administration
measure and as such would be ex-
pected to pass the House. 1t is any
body's guess as to what the Senate
will do with it, but 1t is certain to
receive many votes from the con-
sentative group, and If the Farmer
Labor senators favor it, will pass
there also.
If the system is tried, it will pro-
babdy be successful for a time, I'M
til the inherent evil of mixture
OF politics and liquor assert itself.
Governor Benson, however, is a
sincere dry, and may be expected
to do his best to give especial at
tertion to the successful operation
Of the law during his incumbency
as Governor.-Morris Tribune.
What We Need
What we need here in Paynesville
is what all communities need
namely more men and women to
vision a bright future for the COM
munity and the ability and willing
ness to work for the realization of
that vision.
What we do not need are jealous,
envious and pessimistic people who
see nothing ahead for themselves or
for the community, who would ra-
Their throw a wet blanket on every
enterprise than to offer a word of
encouragement, who would prefer