The Liquor Question.

The qiiestioii of the ortfatiizatiou of a prohibition party and the bitter attaek made by the extreme prohibitionlstl ou the present tax luw, leads one to study up the figures a little. In the first place there has been paid uto the county treasury the sum of $21,662. G7 since the first day of May last, by saloon keepers in the county of Washtenaw, as a tax upon their business. Tóese licenses, as they are called, nuinber 59 full licenses, 20 wine and beer licenses, and o breweries. Tliey are divided as follows : Ann Arbor has 2S full licenses, 7 wine and beer, [and 2 brewer. ies; Ypsilanti has 12 full licenses, 2 wine and beer and 1 brewery: Manchester, 7 full licenses, 1 wine and beer; Dexter and Chelsea each 4 full licenses and 1 wine and beer; Milan, 1 full license, 1 wine and beer; Saline 1 full license, 1 wine and beer; JMHan (York township) 1 full license, 2 wine and beer; Bridgewater, 1 of each; Lodi, 1 full liceuse; Lima, 1 wine and 1 beer; Scio, 1 wine and beer; Freedoui 1 wine and beer. A full license calis for 00 per year; wine and beer calis for $200 per year; and brewery license $G5 for the lirst 1,000 barrels and $10 for each additioual 100 barrels. Which amounts must be all paid in full at the buginning of the year, May lst. No parts of the year's license can be paid except where a man opens a new place of business af ter May lst, in which case he can pay for the remainder of tlie yeari pro rata. This money is paid to the county treasurer, and is by hltn tuined over to the various city or village corriorations or townships in wliich the saloons are located. The amounts so turned over in this county the present year, foot up: Ann Arbor, $9,000; Ypsilanti, $3,890; Manchester, $2,300; Chelsea, $1,400; Dexter, $1,400; Milan, $700; Saline, $067.07; Bridgewater, $500; Lodi, $300; Lima, Scio and Freedom eacli $200. The above are the figures for this eounty. Prohibitionists and anti-prohibitionists are welcome to use them as they please. One tliing is evident, there are less saloons in the county of Waslitenaw, by one-third than when the law went iuto effect. If a tax of $300 can bu leviud and collected on the business, one of $500 can be levied and collected also. If a tax of $300 reduced the nuinber of places one-tliird a tax of $500 ouglit to reduce them one-half, Every place .closed up is a gain for the temperance cause, and a lessening of teniptation for the youths of the county. The moráis of the people increase as the saloons decrease. A public sentiment could in this manner be built up that would of itself prohibit the further growth of the liquor business. Let licenses be so tlrawn tliat when liquor is sold to minors, or people to whom ït ought not to be sold that the same wi'l be revoked, and make it the business of some otticer to enforce the law, with siiflicicnt penalties attaclied for neglecting such dut}', and you will have the liquor trafile well in hand. The enforcing of the law should not be left to the prosecuting attorney as at present, however, hut an oftlcer should be created for that especial purpose, with powers similar to those of the United States excise oflicers. In this way many peoplfc believe tbe country can be educated up to the milleuium - prohibitiou. Bul this is a matter of opinión only, and wliat one man thinks is just as good as wliat another man thinks, providing his oi'gans of thinking are as good.