Year: 1872




intoxication as proposed in the Legisla-
ture by Mr.. Graham, member Of Assem-
bly,.


This bill is exciting II uch attention
and contention also-throughout oul
State, for while on the one hand 1t does
not prohibit the sale ofintoxicatlng liquors
as our strict temperance men would have
it, the stringent provisions against the
saloon-keepers are exciting the strongest
opposition by these dealers and their
hosts of friends and supporters. although
all must admit the tcrrible-bo6y, estate
and soul NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF the
indiscriminate sale of intoxicating liquors.


This Bill makes retail dealers and their
securities responsible for their acts, which
we consider wise provision, as it will
drive out large number of low whiskey
shops and groceries, most generally kept
by men Of the lowest type OF moral char
acter and patrenised by people who haye
more or less lost the control of their ap-
petites. Such places have no other ten
deucy than utter demorallzation and final
ruin. The less saloons and the more
moral, sensible and responsible their own
ers, the better for any community. The
effect of such law would be highly ad-
yantageous to all hotel and saloon-keepers
who are trying to do legitimate and re-
spectacle business.


Drunken men are public nuisance
and it is but just to restrain them and
those who make them so, by fine and
punishment, but we can see no sense In
making property owners liable who lease
rooms for the licensed sale of legitimate
article of trade. 1t might as well be de-
creed, that property owner shall be
hung, if a murdered man is found on his
premises.


The State, or the party granting the
license to irresponsible dealers, is the only
one that can be legally held responsible.


The following is the principal portion
of an article in the Monticello Express,
edited by DR.. Pease, a leading Democrat.
We publish 1t to show our readers that
this is not a party question, whatever
view the milwaukee News chooses to take
oft. DIR. Pease is a representative Demo
crat, Hop. George Hyer of the Oshkosh
Times, is another representative Demo-
crat who heads petition urging the pass
age Of the bill.


1t is an experiment, of course, attempt
ed, where verything else has almost en-
tirely failed, and its good results can only
be determined by the enforcement OF its
several provisions Intemperance IS
wrong and no man knows it better than
the reformed drunkard The selling and
dealing out liquor to an Incorporate man,
for money or otherwise, Is wron-. and
nobody knows 1t better than the drunk
ard s wife and family.


These evils are common all over the
country, wherever liquor is sold. This
ought not to be so-It need not be So
These wrongs ought to be corrected and
stopped for the good of the Incorporate
for the good of the communication the
good of the State, aud for the good of
the saloon keepers themselves, and every
other man who makes and vends intoxl
eating drinks Evils might arise from





are restrained by law.


The bill is not to prohibit or in the
least to inter ere ia the manufacture or
legitimate sale of strong drink, but only
to lop off the evils aud save the people
from the greet wrongs which grow out Of
the traic unrestrained. All men, or
nearly all, have passions, desires and ap-
petites, which need the healthy restraints
e bo l,, .,o,,,a for ma hIpn and some
for another These we call evils, over
which the law presides, and we fail to see
any good reason why the law should dis
criminate in evils of similar, if not of
greater magnitude. Society and the
rights of individuals ought to be protect
ed, and the forces Of the law ought to be
invoked, wherever and whenever the cir
cumstances and conditions of society re
quire it, and no other or better means
can be found or used to correct the evil.


We are candidly of the opinion, that
the control and sale Of liquor can be SO
changed and SO guarded, that the place
of sale would be respectable and as prop
er for all classes OF society to frequent as
a dry goods store. If a saloon cannot
be made a fit and proper place for ladies,
for the moral portion OF community, then
we say, from the stand point OF good or
der in society, that saloos ought not to
exist AT all. No town. village or city,
ought to have public business place not
tit for the most refined ladies to frequent
aud take an interest in and participate IN
its business, at least to inspect and become
fully acquainted with all the Conduct and
proceedings inside. Erect this standard
in every community. by law or otherwise,
and thousand evils will be cured.


The Appleton Crescent speaks very
pertinently on the subject as follows:


1--WE have given the bill a careful peru
sal. We find it to contain features which
it is clear to us will not stand the test OF
Judicial scrutiny; and we also fnd it


acking some of the provisions which 1t
would seem is necessary to protect the
druGkard. 1t is unjust in that it attempts
to hold responsible the owner Of premises
rented for the sale of liquors; because a
liquor seller has DO right under his license
to sell or give liquor to drunken man.
1t is unjust to the liquor seller because it
does not provide that wife or family
shall first serve q notice torblddlng the
gift or sale of liqTor to the husband or
father before an action can accrue. 1t Is
unjust to the drunken person because II
does not provide that he can be promptly
put under guardianship to prevent him
from squaudering his property or earn
ings. And, generally, it presumcs q man
guilty until his Innocence is established.


Wisconsin has need of legislature to
protect the inebriate and his family few
can dispute that proposition but the
fundamental principles of law and justice
must not be disregarded in aifording that
protection. because the Court of last re
sort will declare snch provisions uncon
Situtional, and more harm than good vii
be done,


The names Of many Democrats aTC
found on the petitions for the passage O
L. rnnnrnncn Bill An,nnc them sncl