Year: 1878

seems to be no great effort made to in
fluence it in favor of any radical change
in the liquor license laws. From what
was promised some time ago We might
have been led TO believe that com
bined effort would have been put Oh
foot by this time that would have effect
ed public opinion to such an extent
that almost anything asked for in the
shape of prohibitory legislation, would
have been granted. But instead OF
all this, there has hardly been time
within the last twenty years when upon
the eve of the meeting of the Legisla
ture, 50 little has been said. True, Il
State Temperance Convention has beer
called to meet in Smyrna. on Thursday
the 26th inst, which is to be continued
the balarce of the week, but from the
present outlook it promises to be very
tune affair. No doubt the delegates
will have a good time enjoying the hos
pitalities of the citizens of Smyrna
eloquent speeches will be made, and
sweeping resolutions adopted, but of
what avail will they be, with the pres
ent state of public opinion They will
fall in all probability llstlessly upon
the ears of a public who are very little
interested upon the temperance ques
ion, except so far as they are individ-
ually concerned, and that individuality
they think they can control themselves


aud there is the end of it. There is no
Disgusting the fact, that the great mass
of,the public are Indifferent on the
temperance question, and while this is
the case it is very doubtful indeed if
such demonstration in numbers can
be made that will influence the minds
of our law makers. There are reforms.
however, in our license laws that can
be effected, we think, without the i'm
osing demonstration Of numbers, ana
the most pot mt Ian tor bringing about
reform is to reason with our lrgisLa.
tors. The threat of )ting from a par


ty and thereby causing defeat, has
lost Its terrors, for our leading poIiti


clans know very well by experience
that those who threaten to bolt mean to
d no such thing and therefore all


their threats are harmless, mere idle
vaporings that hurt nothing but the
temperance organization to whiCh Meg be


loag. 1t is nothing to the discredit OF
our Legislature that they fully under


stand such threats, aud when they re-
fuse to accede t. radical demands, they
knCE very we'll what they are doing.
We believe that our members OF the
Legislature justly represent public
sentiment, for if they did not they
could not have been elected and We have
no idea whatever that they will turn a
deaf ear to aDv reasonable or ust re
quest, when sincerely asked for by
modern conservative citizens. A dozen
such men calling upon the Legislature,
would have more weight than petition
,snei by dozen hpnlred signatures
pi ked up here and there, carelessly
through the State.


No doubt that a modification of the
license law can Or obtained al the ap.
preaching Legislature if the right plan
is put in operation, for the present
license Law has become so odous to


most everybody and SO unjust in it,
operations that many who desire to en-.
gage in the sale Of liquor think it nc
harm whatever to disregard its re-


quirrrnrnts, and while it is extremely
doubtful whether local option or a
prohibitory law could be procured,
there is no dolht but a personal liza.
b,lity law 'Ould be obtained if reason
were to .ake the place of big temper,
ance demonstrations. 1t would not
take much reasoning with any fair
luiLded man to convince him that a
law which Licenses one man to sell in


toxicating liquors and refuses a hun
dred others that have better Qualifca-
tions, is unjust and discriminating. AS
it looks now there will he no great force
brought to bear upon the Legislature
this coming session in favor of either
local option Or prohibition, and in the
absence of this We would suggest that
our law makers uninhuelced 20 to
work and reason out law amongst
themselves that will be equitable and
just, hearing alike upon all classes of
people. We do not wish to he under
stood as advocating what is called a
free Liquor law but We 10 think that
the licenses should be placed 50 high
as not to be such barr -r a. to exclude
of any Irresponsible ma rnJaging il
the traffic, and still 50 high that incap


able and irresponsible men could not
engage in it. We think that the re-
commendation Of applicants for license
by number of citizens should not be
required in this business any more
than in the dry goods and grocery
/ IL /