Year: 1874

The temperance question is in Con-


gress, where bill is pending which au-


thorizes the appointment of a National
Commission for the Investigation of the
| liquor traffic, the purpose being to 1egis-


late in some way upon the subject. The


matter IS of great Importance to public


morals and to the revenue, and in view


of the mass of Congressional legislation


upon the subject, it will hardly be as


serted that the National Government


lacks power to deal with it according to
| its pleasure. The Treasury receives
| $50, 100000 from internal taxes upon


liquors, and 100000 from imports of


wines and spirits This revenue cannot


be dispensed with in the present situa-


ton of the country, yet the advocates of


temperance will say, and perhaps truth


fully, that the gain to the Government
is more than counter-balanced by the
loss to the people, through the injurious
| consumption of Intoxicating drinks.


The problem is by no means simple
one. We have on the one hand the
wants of the revenue, and popular appe-
tite for stimulants which seems to be
inseparable from human nature, and on
the other we see clearly the vices, crimes,
and miseries which intox1cation necessa-
rily produces. History seems to teach
us that it is impossible to repress wholly
the appetite for drink, and prohibitory
legislation can never be impartially en-
forced. We do not doubt that the right
to regulate at discretion, and the right to
tax without limit, clearly involve the
right of prohibition. The whole subject
is in the power of Government and the
question is, what shall be done with it ?
Can Government so legislate as to repress
the evil without infringing upon the lib
81 -,
ing the revenue? ? We think it can. We
have plan which will not be adopted
Immediately, but the country will come
to it after while.


We propose that the Government of
the United States shall be the sole man
ufacturer and vender of spirituous liquors,
placing in this category all whiskies,
brandies, and other liquors containing
more than defined percentage of alco-
hol. We propose monopoly like that
of tobacco, which the laws of France
have vested in the French Government


The question Of power we have dis
missed as needing no argument; that of
propriety may be easily settled. There
is no more wrong in directly manufactur
ing and selling liquors than in licensing
these pursuits. At present they are con-
Quoted under such minute Governmental
supervision that every part of the pro-
cess of manufacture may be said to be in
charge of Government officers. 1t could
be more cheaply carried on it instead of
being done by the Government and the
distillers it was done by the Government
alone. The manufacture being finally |
consolidated in few localities. illicit |
distilling would be readily prevented, |
there could be no motive for radulteration, |
and the Government stamp upon liquors |
tho nf
and fneness that it does upon the coin, |
while the price could be made uniform
throughout the United States.


The vending of spirits should be con- |
Quoted through Government agents, who |
would be commissioned, placed under |
heavy bonds, and obliged to observe |
strictly regulations which would prevent |
dram drinking, and all public or social
consumption of strong liquors. The |
minimum quantity sold should be |
fixed by law, say at one pint; drinking |
in the place of sale should be rigidly pro- |
hibited and any form of resale, except |
to an agent of the Government, should |
be punished Under this system the |
wretched social custom of treating to |
Spirits at the bars of public houses would |
be abolished Agents for the sale would |
have to be men of character and response |
bility; the business would not be open, |
as at present. to the reckless or vicious,
who are allowed to deal out liquid |
poisons pretty much according to their |
pleasure There would be necessarily a
greatly restricted consumption, but the |
whole profit of the manufacture and |
dealer would go to the Government, and
it would amount to sum more than
equal to the income now derived from
all internal taxes.


1t will be observed that our system
does not concern itself with malt liquors
or light wines, of native or foreign origin. |
We would leave them free from Federal |
imposts other than customs duties, and /
give them such scope in their mission of |
shaking the perennial thirst of the human |
race, as State and municipal regulations |
would allow. These may prohibit, if |
they please, but it is not likely they |
would do So The United States
Government would confine venders of
wine and beer to their proper business, a
thing that local officers have never been |
able to effect and a fair trial of this sort
of regulation may make prohibition pos
sible, if it is desired.


A law, making the manufacture and |
the sale of spirituous liquors by Govern
ment officials only, a part of the revenue |
system of the United States, can be i'm |
partially enforced. Justice in the United |
States Courts is swift and sure. Detec- |