Olympia Debates How Far the Law Should Reach Into a Man's Glass

The attendance at the meeting under the auspices of the Unity Club last evening at Liberal Hall was not as large as anticipated. The program rendered, however, was a success in every way. Mr. George Funk handled the subject of sumptuary legislation in a very able manner. He argued that it is not the province of government to say what a man shall eat or drink; that if a man desired to drink himself to death in the privacy of his habitation without becoming offensive to his neighbors, it was not the state's business to interfere; that the law might treat the inebriate as a criminal, particularly when he trespassed upon the rights of others. In fact, he considered it the office of government to protect rights, and not to go beyond those limits; that the law should prohibit by penalty the furnishing of liquor to minors, insane persons, and Indians. Mr. Funk also showed how prohibitory legislation as it exists in some of the states had been pronounced to be in conflict with the constitution of the United States, relating to the regulation of commerce among the several states.

The chairman, Mr. Wiener, announced that the discussion of the subject considered in the paper was in order. Byron Millett, Esq., spoke, saying that he believed the true line of reform lay in the direction of greater freedom of individual action; that the state has no moral right to grant privileges to a particular class of persons, especially when the effects are so pernicious and far-reaching as they are in the traffic of intoxicants; that individuals should assume the responsibility and burdens of their acts in the premises; that it is contrary to every principle of justice to have the government share them with the seller; that there is a great deal of cant about the evil of the saloon in politics when the way to get rid of it is by repealing its charter (the license laws). If we remove the cause, we will prevent the effect. Rev. Napoleon Hoagland's Christian readings and his discussion of George Elliott's Christianity were excellent.

Professor Venen's essay on "the best book I have read during the year" was a very humorous production. Mr. Venen called attention to the fact that a lady's wardrobe is sometimes a very expensive luxury. The point made by the professor in his narrative about the "cabbage head" was unique and excited considerable merriment. The chairman was asked to call a special business meeting of the club some time during next week, to be announced in the daily press. Many of the new printed programs were distributed, and some new members were enrolled.