The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-22
Prohibition Not a Failure.

Ed1torS Dem0cTdtlc StdteSHlGn-Ihe
rewards offered by whisky for the ad.
vocacy of it's cause have always been
liberal and some men, ever ready to
''croek the pregnant hinges of the
knee that thrift might follow fawn-
ing" have accepted these rewards and
boldly proclaimed that prohibition has
been failure. If "local option" is
failure why are liquor dealers so bit
terly and persistently opposed to it
The truth is that prohibition is not a
failure. 1t is true that several States
have repealed their prohibitory laws,
but the official reports of these States,
without a single exception, show that
crime increased after the repeal. In
one city the increase, as shown by the
official returns, was four hundred per
cent. Rhode Island in 1875 had three
candidates for the office of governor.
The highest vote was given to the
prohibition candidate, but he, not re-
ceiving majority of all the votes cast,
was not elected. Tie duty of electing
the Governor then, devolved upon the
Legislature, and by the union of whis-
ky Republicans and Democrats, Lip
pet was elected. This union con-
tinued and with that "Puritan senti-
ment" which is ''do4matic" and "ar-
bitrary" repealed the prohibitery law
and substituted license which is the
law of several of the States, and which
is the "product of people who burnt
witches" Two-thirds of the people OF
Rhode Island were opposed to the pro-
hibitory law being repealed. They
had been greatly benefited by it. The
police record of Providence shows a de-
crease of arrests to be 1888 less in one
year than under license. Governor
Howard in 1874 said: 81 stopped
short Gin his message to the Legisla-
ture), without recommending the pro-
hibitory law. 1 did so because 1 was
not fully convinced that it was the
best remedy to be found, but the law
was adopted. l am here tonight
especially for the purpose of
saying, not from the standpoint of a
temperance man, but as public mao,
with the full sense of the responsible
ity which attaches to me from my re-
preventative position, that the prohibit
tory laws of this State are success be-
You'd the fondest anticipation CT any
friend of temperance. Prohibition in
Rhode Island is q success to a marvel
Gus extent. have felt it incumbent
upon me to make that declaration, and
| desire that 1t go abroad as my solemn
assertion" In Michigan the same means
were used to repeal the law that were
used in Rhode Island. The people
were, and are now, in favor of prohi-
bition. Prohibitory laws have not
failed in 'large and compact cities. "
At one time there were seven large
distilleries in the city of Portland,
running night and day, at the
same time vast quantities of
liquor were imported. To-day there is
not distillery running in the State of
Maine, nor is there puncheon of rum
imported. Hon. George G. Stacy
says of the city of Augusta: "There
are no open bar-rooms, and the effect
of the law has been t. largely reduce
crime, especially gambling, fighting,
etc" Gen. Dyer says: !" In Kenne-
bee county, with population OF 80,
900, the law is enforced, and that it
materially improved both the moral
and social condition of the people. i"
This is the testimony VIC have from
towns aud citizens where the law has
been enforced, the assertion of the
organ" to the contrary notwithstsnd-
ing. Whisky creates pauperism, Ii
centiousness, dishonesty, and murder.
Danish il, and the infamous brood of
vices and crimes, of which it
is the Immediate cause, will
disappear from our city and county
and the widespread decentralization OF
our young men cease. Peace and pros
periiy will reign supreme, and our
beautiful city be a Mecca before which
wandering pilgrims from every cline
may bow down and worship and not
be ashamed. HARD BRICK.