High License and the Liquor Traffic
Many temperance people are deceived by the idea that it is good temperance policy to make men pay a high money price for the privilege of selling liquors to the public. But money never made any immorality right. At least one mayor of a city has found this out by experience, and other people might know the same thing if they would but calmly consider the situation. Mayor Hardy, of Lincoln, Neb., is reported by the Kansas Prohibitionist to have said: “I9thought at the time I had done a good thing to lessen the saloons from twenty-five to five, but when I found that it did not lessen the curse, I saw my mistake. High license is one of the devil’s best devices to deceive good temperance people.” Selling indulgences to commit sin is a papal principle, and was used with considerable effect as a scheme to head off the Reformation in Luther’s time. Protestants have always deemed that a very wicked policy; but it is the same evil principle in the municipal council to-day that it was in the Papacy at that time.