THE FALLS CITY TRIBUNE , FRIDAY , JULY 17 , 1908
Nebraska Scribes Defend and Sup-
I port ( lie Slociimb Local
Option Law.
DENOUNCE CWY OPTION"
How ( he Mail Order Traffic in Wet
Goods Is Fostered by Dry Towns
Wliicli Arc Drained of Money.
In 151)0 ) Nebraska editors partici
pated In a mcinornlilo campaign
ngnlnst thu proposed amendment to
the state conHtltutlon to prohibit thu
manufacture and sulo of Intoxicating
leverages. At that tlmu u majority
of the editors fuvorod the retention
of the high license , local option law
enacted In 1887 , believing It to ho
tlio best motliod of controlling the
liquor tralllc. In this contention they
were supported by many of the lead
ing men of the state , including Hon.
W. J. Bryan.
The presumption Is that the major
ity of Nebraska editors are of the
tame opinion still , and that they are
again ready to defend the Slocumb
law against attack. A number of the
best-known editors of the Ktato litivo
expressed their views on the subject
In letters written to the Merchants'
tind Manufacturers' Association of
Omaha. Some of these letters are as
follows :
FREMONT DAILY HERALD.
Fremont , Nob. , Juno 2 , 190S. Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' Associa
tion. Gentlemen : I helped Into ef
fect the prohibition law In Iowa
uy voting for It. My observations
after the election and for sev
eral months convinced mo that 1
inado a mistake , and I have not voted
for prohibition since. A well-regu
lated license law , and enforcement
thereof , will bo of far greater benefit
to any community than a so-called
prohibition law. Prohibition docs not
prohibit. The national government
lias been at work for a century trying
to stop distillation In the mountains
of Tennessee , and It has failed to ac
complish "prohibition. " I am satisfied
that prohibition In Nebraska would
result In moro drunkenness , moio bad
vhlskoy , moro bootleggers , moro wills-
hey drug stores , and a greater general
menace to society than ever before.
The continued Improvement In meth
ods of saloon men , brewers , and deal
ers generally Is going Htendlly on ,
making a license law such as we now
liavo moro desirable than over hereto
fore. Yours truly. Marc G. Perkins.
THE GREELEY CITIZEN.
Greeley. Nob. , May 27. 1908. Mer-
cnants' and Manufacturers' Associa
tion : Gentlemen : Replying to your
uuery as to why I favor the present
Slocmnb licence law In prefer
ence to a state prohibitory law or
county option law , would say that I
Imvo lived In Nebraska since the
adoption of the present liquor law ;
have scon Its workings ; know Jt to be
prohibitory If the community desire *
to enforce Its piovlblons , and no othei
state has a law that Is equally as pro
hlbttlve.
I have been In Kansas and lowii
elnco those states adopted state pro
Llblllon , and at the times of my visits
to them was a drinking man , and soot
found out that I could get all tlu
"booze" 1 wanted to drink.
Several years ago I lived In Utlca
Beward county , and In my nowspapei
business had dealings In both Yorl
nnd Soward. York was supposed t <
have the lid on tight , and Seward ha <
four or flvo open saloons , yet oiv
.would see moro drunken men In Yorl
than la Beward , and It was a subjec
of general comment at the tlmo Urn
the city and county olllclals of Yorl
jwero very lax In their enforcement o
the law.
I have for years argued with th
temperance people those who favor :
prohibitory law that they should us
their endeavors to amending the rev
cnue laws of the government In o :
feet , to have the government refuse
Hccnso when a municipality voted tone
no saloons. In that wav , with th
strong arm of tno government to ei
force Its laws , bootleggers would g
out of business.
Iso town In a county has a right t
Bay to another town that it shall nc
Co as It likes. No state has n rlgl
to say to another state , "You unit
obey our laws. " That Is the reason
oppose the county option bill. Yout
yery truly , F. P. Compton.
LOUP CITY STANDARD GAUGE.
Loup City , Neb. , June 20.190S. Me
chants' and Manufacturers' Assocli
tlon : Gentlemen : 1 have been a ten
peranco man all my life , but am strlc
ly opposed to prohibition , because :
First , It was never known to pit
hlbit.
' Second , U makes criminals out <
good citizens , both for and against
A system that sets neighbor agalni
neighbor Is degenerating , and a la
that puts a premium on outlawi
Bhould be repealed. A law or a sy
tern that encourages men to watch Ui
back door of their neighbor with U :
hope of making a criminal of bin
scarcely ever falls to maxo a crlmlna
out of the watcher. Freedom o
speech and action is the ono God-glvci
heritage that the common pcoplo scon
to liavo a perpetual flgnt to maintain
From nil ages the fanatic , whether re
llglous or political , has been the su
prcmo foe of the masses. Laws hav <
been made and gerrymandering uc
compltshcd that the majority of tin
pcoplo never realized until they awake
to find their liberties either curtniloc
or annihilated. The masses shoiih
wake up to the fact that the softening
sentences of religion do not bettci
their condition once they allow theli
liberties to bo snatched from them
A better understanding of mcdlaeva
history would bo beneficial to tlu
world. George II. Gibson.
SCHUYLER FREE LANCE.
Schuylor. Neb. , May 21) ) . 1908. Mcr
chants' and Manufacturers' Assocla
lion. Gentlemen : In lesponso to yotn
letter of n'cont date , will Bay that 1
am opposed to statutory prohibition In
Nebraska and nm a great believer In
the efllclency of the present Sloninil :
law , which Is a measure designed tc
fit the prevailing sentiment of any
community. It Is a model local OJH
tlon law and , regardless of what any
person's Individual opinion may be , he
can endorse the provisions of the Slo-
cumo law. Public sentiment is always
stronger than statutory provision and
the latter becomes obsolete when that
sentiment is not In hnrmony with It.
Under Ihu piovlhlonH of the Slo-
ciinib law , In communities where the
prevailing sentiment is against sa
loons , the people can liavo prohibition
as effective as they could under the
most rigid prohibitory laws , and In
communities where prohibition would
not prohibit and would be a farce , the
traffic can bo hold In check under a
wise llcenso system and bootlegging
and the attendant lawlessness will not
bo the common method. If the Slo-
ciimb law cannot be enforced In a
community , most surely any prohib
itory law cannot be. Unforced legls-
latlvo provisions of a personal nature
must follow In the wuko of public sen
timent , nnd the wise Slocumb law
seems to have boon framed to fit the
conditions of each and every commu
nity. Public sentiment as expressed
by the majority makes each commu
nity ouo of prohibition or ono of vari
ous degrees of high license under not
alone the general icstrlctlons of the
state law , but under additional pro
visions of ordinance at the will of the
local majority na well. The Slocumb
law Is the best possible , and fahould
bo lot alone. If there Is a genuine
criticism of that law , It Is that It gives
the saloon man llttlo right nnd sub
jects htm too much to the malice of a
citizen.
I am also opposed to the proposed
county option , for It destroys , In a
measure , local option and the princi
ple of home rule. It Is unjust in that
it gives men a vote : is to municipal
affairs when they pay 10 municipal
taxes and have no real Interest In the
municipal government. Taxation wltn-
out representation all Americans ngrco
Is wrong , and the reverse Is equally
HO. Very truly yours , John G.
Spiecher.
SALINE COUNTY DEMOCRAT.
Wllber , Nob. , Juno 8 , 190S. Gentle
men : The coming struggle over the
liquor question should bo approached
with the greatest moderation and for
bearance on both sides.
The manufacture and snlo of a bev
erage that 1ms been In use as far back
as authentic history goes , and ages
before the dawn of Clnistluntty , can
no moro bo prohibited by statute law
because the doprnod appetltles of a
few bring discredit upon those why
supply the public demand for it than
can the preaching of the gospel be
prohibited because the vicious pro
pensities of a small percentage of min
isters and the excesses of their pat
rons bring contumely upon the whole
church , by transgressing upon divine
as well as civil law. To my Icono
clastic till ml both are In the sauu
class there for the money that Is
in IL
In my opinion , the Slocumb law ol
Nebraska Is the best form of regulnt
Ing the liquor business that has yol
been devised. It has stood the test ;
of the courts for years and where nnj
reasonable effort towards Its enforce
ment by the local authorities has beer
made , It has given almost general bat
Isfactlon. Witness the Jubilation o
the "dry" forces at the result of th <
recent spring elections. It gives eacl
community local option. To tampc
with It would bo tempting Providence
because the introduction of Just oni
innocent-looking llttlo "joker" by sonv
adroit schemer might lead from order
ly regulation to absolute chaos.
Prohibition has been adopted In i
number of the southern states Just "t
keep the niggers from getting It , " I
adopted hero , It will bo the whlto nmi
of limited means that will bo th
greatest victim. In many localities 1
would bo those colonies of hard-worl
Ing , law-abiding and thrifty citizen
who have been accustomed to th
moderate use of malt bovoragss fror
childhood. The fellow who has got th
prlco will got all he wants anywnj
wholesale by case or cask , and inak
no bones about It. And won't it bo
pretty spectacle to see the trampln
hoboes with a capital of ten cents g
to the place across the street and ru
shoulders with the sanctlmoniou
Pecksniffs who yowl prohibition an
affect to scorn the open saloon , but a
the time take their nips on the sly i
the back room of the "dispensary ? "
My memory of history may have b <
i come a little defective through a <
i vanclug years , but to the best of m
recollection , whenever it has como tc
n downright contest between the "purl
tans" and their moro broad-minded
fellow men , It has generally been the
self-righteous that liavo done the cml
grating.
Hotter "let well enough alone. " II
Is my firm belief that the present agi
tation has been started by self-seeking
politicians only to distract the atten
tion of the people from far more seri
ous evils.
It is universally conceded that com
mercial exigencies and educational in
fluences nro steadily advancing the
temperance cause. Let these good In
fluences continue , hut from nit acri-
"Wo won't ! " with UH personal rccrlm-
monloiiB campaign of "You will ! " and
inntlons nnd long-enduring animosities ,
Good Lord deliver us.
One who has been ( .trough the "cm-
sado" 01 the early seventies and the
hard-fought campaign 01 ionU ought to
have formed decided opinions about
the futility of well-meant but impracti
cal legislation. Respectfully , John
Knight. Editor and PublUhcr.
GREELEY CITIZEN.
Ono of the best weekly newspapers
In Nebraska Is the Greeley Citizen ,
published by Messrs. E. P. and 13. E.
Compton. Its editorials are uniformly
well written and forceful. Its Issue of
Juno G contained the following.
"It is but Just to state that the Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' associa
tion Is not a saloon organization , nor
Is there n saloon man ( either whole
sale or retail ) nor a brewer among
Its members. It Is an organization of
manufacturers and wholesale and re-
tall merchants of that city banded to
gether for the distinct purpose of
working for what they deem for the
best Interest of Omaha and the stato.
Some of the best nnd most Influential
papers in the state have published
the article and we call our readers' at
tention to it on the last page.
"Tho Merchants' and Manufacturers'
association or the Antl-Snloon League
should enjoy equal facilities at the
hands of the Nebraska press and , with
few exceptions notably our contem
porary they will , nnd a full and frank
discussion of any public question will
never injure the morals of any ono ,
and no one but a hypocrite would ob
ject. "
THE WYMOREAN.
E. M. nurnham , editor of the Wy-
morean , expresses this view of the sub
ject :
"If prohibition prohibits , I am for It.
If voting the saloons out of Wymore
means that the liquor traffic will still
bo continued underground , by bootleggers >
loggers and In holes In the walls , I
say license the saloons , and hnvo the
liquor business carried on In a way
that gives the city a sum of money ,
which Is badly needed , and conducted
by men whom wo know nnd who nro
good citizens. In towns nnd states
where saloons have been shut out , the
liquor traffic has been transferred
from responsible hands to outlaws and
scalawags , and from an open business
to an underground one. I do not bo-
Hove that shutting out the saloons In
Wymoro will stop the sale of liquor
and for that reason I am for local
license. "
COLUMBUS TELEGRAM.
Hon. Edgar Howard , ono of the
ablest democratic editors in the state ,
makes the following editorial reply to
an anonymous correspondent :
"This liquor problem Is a largo
problem , and It cannot bo settled and
settled right by men who are so lack
ing In courage as to write an anony
mous postal card. It Is a question
which ueeds the best of thought of all
good citizens. Men may honestly dif
fer us to the mode of dealing with this
great question. Some men are honest
In the opinion that the traffic In in
toxicating liquors should bo wholly
prohibited. Other men honestly bo-
llevo the traffic should bo regulated
by law. Wiy | should it seem neces
sary on the part of those who believe
In prohibition always to question the
honesty and integrity of those who dc
not believe in prohibition ? "
SCRIBNER NEWS.
In its issue of Juno 5 , the Scrlbnei
News says :
"A great deal of misrepresentation
has been put in circulation in regard
to the Merchants nnd Manufacturers
association of Omaha which Is making
a strong and dignified fight agalnsl
prohibition , nnd what Is still worse
county option. The association U
composed of leading business men ol
Omaha whoso names are familial
throughout the state. No distiller
brewer or liquor dealer Is eligible tc
membership.
"Now If those advocates of prohlbl
tlon will rend and consider the weekl )
columns furnished by the above
named association , they will notice
that some of the best business men 01
the state are strictly agaln&t count )
option. "
WESTERN NEBRASKA OBSERVER
Kimball. Neb. . May 2C. 190S. Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' Assocla
tlon : Gentlemen : I came hero ovc ;
u year ago from Kansas where I itvei
fifteen years. I had" ample opportunl
ty to observe the workings , or rather
the non-working qualities of the pro
hlbltory law. I nm sick nnd tired o
drug-storo saloons and Joints whlcl
pay no llcenso and cause mores drunk
ennesa than open saloons. Th <
Sloctim law In Nebraska is all rlgh
as it now stands and needs no chang
ing. A saloon run strictly in accordance
anco with this law Is n great dea
more to bo desired than a "dry" towi
with Its drug stores , Us bootleggers
and Its numerous shipments of maj !
order booze and consequent drunker
ness. .Very respectfully , R. D. Wi :
son.
MORE MAIL-ORDER BUSINESS.
Every local merchant In Nebraska
has felt the unfair competition of the
eastern mall-order house. There is a
btate association of merchants , the
object of which is to make sentiment
antagonizing the mail-order business.
The local merchant contends that it is
unjust to him , a local taxpayer , to per
mit a company paying no taxes In the
state to ship into a Nebraska com
munity merchandise at prices low
than the local merchant can afford to
sell for , because of the Insurance , tax
and rental rates ho Is compelled to
pay for the privilege of doing business ,
lie Is casting about for some means
by which the mail-order business maybe
bo stamped out.
In this connection , It Is Interesting
to cite one phase of the situation In
Ilutler county , brought about by some
of the towns whoso people voted not
to Issue liquor licenses. A David City
banker writes that Immediately upon
the adoption of the dry policy , there
sprang up an active mall-order busi
ness In wet goods. The same Is true
of Beatrice. All such money , of
rout set , leaves the county , nnd while
ns much liquor as formerly may bo
consumed , the volume of local money
Is depleted.
It Is said on good authority that
every Saturday night trains from Kan
sas City to Topcka carry mail-order
original packages of wet goods for the
Individual consumer at Topeka.
A well known citizen of Cook , Neb. ,
writes of the mail-order business In
wet goods as applied to that town , as
follows : "In ouo month there has
been shipped Into Cook seven and one-
half barrels of wine and whisky and
twenty barrels and live cases of beer. "
The Chamber of Commerce of Sa
vannah , Gn. , has issued a circular
stating that the new prohibition law
of that state has created an Immense
mail-order tralllc In liquor amounting
to something like $200,000 a month ,
which Is leaving the state , and In re
turn for which liquor is received for
local consumption.
During the days when the policy of
prohibition was sought to bo enforced
In Iowa , the mall-order business from
Omaha houses into the various towns
of western Iowa was enormous ; the
money , of course , leaving the local
communities of Iowa to enhance the
profits of Omaha dealers. The enact
ment of the Mulct Tax law In 1894 put
a stop to most of the traffic.
These instances are few compared
with the largo number within the
knowledge of the people of Nebraska
towns which have gone dry. The fed
eral supreme court has , In three no
table cases , decided that no valid law
could bo passed to prevent a citizen of
ono state ordering liquor shipped from
another state for bis own use ; there
fore the original package mall-order
trafllc In wet goods Is strictly legiti
mate from a legal point of view , or ,
at any rate , the right can not bo
abridged by law.
It Is a question for local merchants
and taxpayers to decide for them
selves whether or not they shall favor
a local policy which would bo certain
to build up an Immense mall-order
business , thus creating a constant
drain upon the money of any town
adopting that policy.
THE SNYDER BANNER.
Manager Gus II. Weber of the
Snydcr Banner , discussing the mail
order liquor trade , says :
"With prohibition every taxpayer
will hnvo to cough up moro money
proportionally but the "jug houses"
do business just the same depriving
the towns of their annual Income of
license , nnd at the same time Increase
the mall-order trade which has be
come a heavy drain on local merchants
all over the country.
Wo do not believe that people could
not exist without liquor , but while
wo are positive that some so-called
prohibitionists insist on Its UPO wo
are going to stand for license , to
which the community Is more entitled
than those jug houses over dared to
be.
be.To
To give a plain Illustration of how
liquor trade Is going abroad wo wish
to relate the following story which
recently came to light : A well known
citizen In a country town called at
the depot asking the agent if "hie
books had como. " The ngent replied
that no books were received at the
time. Later the same party Inquired
by telephone about the expected mer
chandise , when the agent replied ,
"Yes , your package is here , but there
are no books ; It is billed as liquor. "
Seeing that ho was caught In a trap
our citizen refused to accept the pack
age. It Is not necessary to state that
that man will vote for county option ,
but ho must hnvo the boozo. "
CLAY CENTER SUN.
The editor of the Clay Center Sun
makes the following significant com
ment :
"It has been said In our hearing
many times that the business of Has
tings has fallen off greatly since the
saloons were closed. The extent of
that decline , as reported In some In
stances onco-balf did not to us seem
possible , but that there has been n
heavy decline we are forced to believe
What follows such a decline In busi
ness" ! Discharge of help. . We cannot
guess how many worthy ladles nnd
gentlemen nro thrown out of employ
ment. Does ono hundred overstate
it ? Wo guess not. Half of these will
miss their salaries , though perhaps
small , exceedingly , nnd as much as
the ladles might abhor saloons
wouldn't they feel that the presence
of the saloon , so far as they are con
cerned , where the evil effects nro not
seen In their families , can more easily
bo endured than the want of the week
ly stipend that they receive when busi
ness is better and their services ore
needed In the stores ? We learn
through the Hastings Tribune that' ono
hundred nnd fifty-live of Hnsllngs'
most progressive business men re
spectfully call the attention of the
city council to the fact that at the
last municipal election a majority of
20G votes were cast for the policy of
local license nnd that the general
business of the city Is suffering from
the effects of the present policy. "
STERLING SUN.
As Sterling has saloons and none ot
the neighboring towns have any , It
will bo a. good opportunity to make
comparisons during the year as to rel
ative business conditions , amount ol
drunkenness and other disputed ques
tions as to prohibition and saloons.
There are n great many temperance
people who do not believe In , but dis
courage the use of intoxicating liquors
ns a beverage ; who are not prohibi
tionists , so-called , because they do not
believe that prohibition of the liquor
trafllc prohibits , nor is it the best way
to control the use of Intoxicating
liquors.
KEARNEY DEMOCRAT.
Editor F. L. Whedon writes :
A corporation lawyer ought to know
better than wo do , because we are not
n corporation lawyer , why the people
living In any of the outlying town
ships In Buffalo county should not bo
permitted to vote to control the ac
tions of a municipality or municipal
corporation. Cities and towns are
separated and segregated from the
control of the county government by
statute and It Is In violation of law
and the constitution of the state for
a citizen of Logan township to como
to Kearney or go to Elm Creek nnd
cast his vote upon any question or up
on any proposition which is being voted
ed upon by the voters of those corpo
rations. Ho becomes n criminal the
moment he does so. He is not , should
not , "and the courts will not give him
legal right to have a voice in such
local government , because to give him
such a voice In the municipal govern
ment would be to give him representa
tion without taxation , which would bo
destructive to the prlclplo of homo
rule , would be illegal and un-American
In every sentiment. The constitution
and'tho statutes do not abide in the
principles of county option , because
they protect towns and villages
against the domination and encroach
ment of a larger number of voters
throughout the county In which they
are situated , who are not taxed to
maintain municipal or corporate gov
ernment and have no more right under
the statute and the constitution of
controlling or shaping the nffnlrs of
those towns nnd villages than has the
city of Kearney to dominate and vote
upon the affairs of Ravenna or Shol-
ton. The plan of county option Is to
have the county dominate the city of
Kearney , providing county option
should receive a majority of the votes
within the county , but permit Kear
ney to work out Its own salvation If
a majority of the votes within the
county should be cast against county
option. Kearney always has , and we
believe always will be perfectly able
to understand Its own affairs what It
wants HIIU what It does not want
what It can afford nnd what it cannot
afford better than the voters of Lo
gan township do or can. "
LOUP CITY STANDARD-GAUGE.
The saloons closed their doors at
noon Tuesday , their license having
expired. It has been a dry town
since , but every one seems to satisfy
their thirst as they did when the sa
loons were open. Just the other
evening a case of the best that money
can buy came In from Kansas City.
Docs that look like you can shut It
out of the city ? It will be had when
It is desired no matter how the "Wa
ter Apostles" arrange matters , so let
'em go.
SCHUYLER FREE LANCE.
Hon. John C. Sprecher , editor of the
Schuyler Free Lance , In a recent Is
sue of his Interesting and ably-edited
paper , says :
"Tho leading business firms and In
dividuals of Omaha have organized
what is known as the Merchants' and
Manufacturers' association for the ex
press purpose of lighting not alone pro
hibition In this state , but county op
tion as well. And those business
men nro not brewers nor distillers nor
saloon keepers nor "boozers , " but nro
the lending business men of Omaha
who know the serious effect upon bu
siness prohibition has nnd also realize
that county option Is unfair. They
favor the present Slocumb law , which
Is fair to all elements and permits the
majority of any community to rule.
That association has a press bureau
and that bureau is sending out litera
ture as well as furnishing the local
press with articles and plato matter.
So far as the association and its mis
sion are concerned , the Free Lance
editor is in harmony with them and
their opposition to prohibition and
county option Is In accord with us. Wo
agree in general with the matter ,
which Is simply presenting their side
of the question.
LOUP CITY STANDARD GAUGE.
Every voter should clearly under
stand the situation and If he wants a
law passed that allows his neighbor
miles away to tell him what to do
then ho should vote for the represen
tative or senator that will pass It. If
ho dcblrcs to govern himself and
grant the other man the same right
then elect n man who is against coun
ty option. Don't be fooled on the
word local option , we have that :
county option destroys that privilege.
Suppose the fight that the fanatics are
making for county option Is defeated
at the polls , what have they lost ? Not
one privilege , or power ; but 11 they
win , they have succeeded In winding
the people In ono moro mesh called
law , that robs you of your liberty.
Don't forget that your liberties are ?
easily given away , but once gone are
mighty hard to recover.
" ' ' ' " f
HASTINGS TRIBUNE.
That you may better understand
Just what these 160 business men are
praying for we print a copy of their
petition , which follows :
"We , the undersigned citizens and
business men of Hastings , Neb. , recog
nizing the imperative necessity of con
tinuing the established policy of gov
ernment , wherein the majority shall
rule , believing the business Interests
of this city are best protected by fol
lowing the expressed will of the ma
jority , respectfully call jour attention
to the fact that at the last municipal
election a majority of 200 votes were
cast for the policy of local license antf.
that the general business of this city ,
is suffering from the effects of the
present policy.
"Wo , therefore , pray your honorable ,
body to at once take up and net upon
the several petitions for liquor li
censes , now on file with the city ,
clerk. "
i
GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT.
At Its state meeting held In Has
tings recently the nntl-snloon league
declared its opposition to the Slocumb
law and expressed itself in favor of
the repeal of the same. It also declared
clared Itself in favor of the county op.
tlon law , evidently as a temporary
measure. The Slocumb law permits of
prohibition for every community which'
wants it. The county option law per
mits of people outside of a community
govorlng such community provided
they will govern it ono certain way.
SCHUYLER FREE LANCE.
The prohibition element in Ne
braska promises to be very active and
they also give evidence of being as
unprincipled ns they arc aggressive.
Abuse and misrepresentation never
win anything and that Is their prin
cipal means of attack. This editor
prefers law and order rather than the
opposite and prefers licensed saloons
lu lieu of bootlegging and so stands
by the Slocumb law.
PENDER TIMES.
There are lots of good Intelligent
people who do not believe In the
liquor tralllc who do , however , bellovo
that while It Is with us It can best be
regulate'd by local license , which Is
far moro preferable than bootlegging
nnd other attendant evils oven pro
hibition towns must put up with , to
say nothing In reference to the ques
tion of revenue and the wishes of the
majority of the community.
GENEVA GAZETTE.
Syracuse , Nebraska , went dry and
the town board had to cut expenses
to meet the pocketbook they were to
carry for the year so they cut out the
street lighting service , reduced the
salary of the treasurer , did away-wlth
the office of attorney and made the
water and light commissioner act as
town eTorlt.
The prohibitory law in Georgia ,
which went into effect the first of
January , stopped the manufacture
and open sale of liquor. The secretary
of the Commercial club at Savannah
says that the club has sent agents
over the state to ascertain the effect
of the law upon the business of.
Georgia. He writes that Insofar an
an estimate can be made at this time ,
ho finds that merchants are losing
hundreds of thousands of dollars of.
trade a month , which is going to out
side dealers of liquor who are ship
ping liquor into Georgia In original
packages. The commercial clubs of
Georgia have combined to see what
can bo done to keep such money In
the etate. They hold that there Is
just as much liquor being consumed
as ever.
Be It remembered that local option
as defined by the Slocumb liquor law
affords the fullest measure of homo
rule. It Is a vital quality of the law.
Destroy It , and the whole structure
must fall. So-called county option , as
defined by the Anti-Saloon league , Is
Intended to destroy this element of
homo rule by putting the power In
the hands of rural voters to dictate
to the taxpayers of villages and towns
as to what they shall or shall not do.
Pretended county option means that
the limits of villages and towns shall
be ignored , when the people of a
whole county may bo permitted to
vote to prevent the Issuing of liquor
licenses. With such a law ns that In
effect , the homo rule of villages and
towns would be destroyed , nnd theln
policy with respect to the control o
the liquor tralllc would bo dictated by
the farmers of the county , who pay ,
no taxes in the towns.
The secretary of the Fort Scott
Commercial club says that owing to
the blight of prohibition In Kansas ,
immigration into that state djrlng the
last twenty-four years has been less
numerically tha.n the birth late. Ho
says the policy has put a check upon
the material progress of the state as
compared with other ; states , whereas
Kansas Is naturally one of the most
productive states in the union.
County option was enacted In Texas
and forced upon the people of many
towns against their will. The secre
tary of the Denlson Commercial club
estimates that the operation of county
'
option in that city cost the merchants'
and property owners nearly a million ,
M *
dollars.