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Show An Unwrltt.' a Law. An unwritten law long ago debarred the dram shop keeper from entering "society," and now, as a result of the agitation brought about by temperance societies, good government clubs, municipal mu-nicipal voters' leagues, law enforcement enforce-ment organizations, etc., the current oi' public opinion has set strongly against the saloon-keeper in politics, and especially the saloon-keeper in office. of-fice. We rejoice in this advancement of anti-saloon sentiment. It presages the time of 'better manners, purer laws, and leads us to hope that the day is not far distant when saloon-making will be as disreputable as saloon-keeping. For is the man who supports tne saloon by Influence, vole or patronage and who shares in its pioflts, and more righteous than the man who keeps the saloon? If the saloon is a "necessity," why ostracize socially and politically the saloon-keeper? Has not the liquor man some reason for complaining of Injustice In this matter? Under the civil law liquor selling is a perfectly legitimate business. Why, then, should the civic rights and privileges of the liquor seller be abridged? True, we do not want saloon-keepers to have any voice or hand in making and executing our laws, but we would prevent it by shutting up the saloons and taking both the saloon-keeper and the government out of the liquor business. busi-ness. To place the ban of the law upon up-on the traffic Is the only way hy which saloon men can, from a civic standpoint, be justly deprived of the citizen's right to hold office. Certain of our municipal reformers would, in the interests of good government, make It impossible for a saloon-keeper to become an alderman. So would we by making it impossible for any man to become a saloon-keeper. Union Signal. |