Local Option!

Last week wc gave tbc argumenta of the attorueys in tbc injunction snit brought to restraln tbe County Cleik from issuing the cali for au elcction uuder tbc local option law. The decisión of Judge Kiiinc, denylng tbe injunction, our readers aro all familiar witb. Tbcre being no furtbcr impedimenta in tbc way, County Clcrk Ilowlett procceüed to cali tbc elcction on tbe day at first determiucd tipon, viz: February 27tb, and on tliat day the people of Washtcnaw county will decide wbetbcr a prohibitory law or h lililí tax law shall be the best to deal with tbe liquor tnifflc of this counly. As our columns have been thrown open to the public for a discusión of this question, two responsos have already been reeeived, and are given below : Local Option, "Yes"- Evorj lwdy sliould Vote It. Kditok Courikk:- Will yon permita few words iu your vuluablc paper upon this all absorbing topic of temperance? Itdoes not seem as though any argument ought to bc neecssary to couvlnce even the most skeptical that they ouglit to voto for "God and home " ii.u'ni'isl the saloon. Any one who bas witnessed as I have tbc terrors atul evils of the saloon power would not hetitate for a moment in hls decisión. It is the duty of every parcut to cast bis vote for tbe destruction of that mon8trous evil wbich bas ingraftcd itself upon the fair face of tbe American republic like au abnormal cáncer. My experience witb the present Uqnor law leads me to bellere tliat it U barder to enforce tlia a probibitory law will be. My reasons are : The liquor dealer, wbile apparenily doing a legal business, may break the law In seventeen or more distinct ways. He may sell without paying hij tax; without executing a bond; lie may sell after legal bours; be may scll beforc legal hour; bc may sell on Sunday; on legal bolidays; on days of general elections; he may sell in a place of amusement; be may sell wbere a pool table is kept or in a room adjoiulng; be may sell wben a card tuble is kept; be may sell whcre a bl'llard table is kept; he may sell to minors; to students; to persons intoxlcated; to the persons in tbe habit getting intoxicated; be may geil to thoso whose parents, wit e, husbaud or cbild or guardián forbid j or be may sell adulterated liquor. Iu every one of these ways the law my be and is broken. The vry fact tliat selling is legalized deters inany men fromserutinizing the business carefully enough to detect law breaking. The very presence of a known temperance man in a saloon would deter some from drinking and would injure the legal business of tbe saloon keeper, and would give hiin legal cause of action. The legal business and the Ilegal are so mixed that tbe ordinary citlzen has ditliculty iu di-criminating, and tbe saloon keeper witli sa inany ways ot breakhig the law can take his choice almos t witb impunity. Tlie local option law will leavc but one way of breakinff tbe law, and citiens will have no difticulty ia detecling its breaking. The liquor business U now au clgbteen beaded hydra, in seventeen of whicb beads he may be wounded bul not killed, while the eighteenth, the most destructive of all, is left tree and protected by law while it shall ilo ils front. The proposed local ojnion 1 iw cuts eü' seventeen headsata blow, and tben invites all good citizens to unite in crushiuj; the only remaiuingonc. Tbcn, moet temperance men have no beart In in enforcing the present law. They see no barrier ui it to the eontinual giowth of the liquor trallic and wbilo, as good citizens, tliey will publicly vote for its enforcemeut as for all other laws, they will not put behind it the personal effort and moiiey whicli it would need for its enforcement. With a prohibition law tbls is charged for we shall feel that we have a law, whieb, if enforced will remedy the evil. So again I cali uion the good people of this county to Vote to qaench the whisky lires, Vote 'tlll Ihe liquor foe retires, Vute 'till the last saloon expires, and go to your home and your family with the consciousness of having done a noble deed. A. Belibver.