Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-17
PROHIBITION IN GROWING CITIES.

A few days ago an interview Will
man who gave his name as Charles 5.
Smith appeared in the HERALD. The
impression our reporter got from the
man was that he was either resident
of or had interests in Pomona, from the
fact that he deplored the injury he
alleged was being done to the business
interests of that city by the strict en-
forcement of prohibition. The inter-
view, when it reached Pomona, stirred
up considerable feeling, and the board
Of trade held a special meeting and
passed series of strong fesolutions, in
which the assertions of Charles s.
Smith were denounced as untrue.
1t is needless to say that the HER
AID, in publishing the interview,
had no animus in the matter. As
a general proposition we believe that
the strict enforcement of sumptuary
laws in any city of commercial aspira-
tions, must result in injury. Small
country towns that have no preten-
sions to other status than that OF place
of rural homes, may feel beneficial eff
fects from the rigid enforcement of pro-
hibition; but growing cities, the prog-
ress of which depends upon the contin-
ued accession Of miscellaneous popula-
ton and the extension of thier trade be-
yond the local boundaries, must neces-
sarily be injuriously affected by amunic-
ipal policy which limits their chance of
business possibilities to the narrow ideas
OF the radical Prohibitionist. Men who
know how to control themselves will not
consent to yield up their personal rights
because there are others who are the
slaves of their appetites. They may not
care to drink themselves, but they
do care about being deprived of the
right to take a drink if they
want to. These form a very consider
able part of the great mass of every
business community, and some Of the
best, most capable and substantial
people of this and other countries, peo-
pie from whom all our growing Califor-
mia cities must expect to get their access
sions of new population, will refuse to
settle in places where the law treats
them as children and incompetents. The
cashier of q bank in Pasadena illustrated
to us how prohibition had operated
there in one case, and which he said
was not an isolated example. A gentle
man Of wealth, with his family, had come
there, and was greatly pleased with it's
beauties. Its superb attractions had
so won upon him that he determined to
buy & home there. He selected a de-
lightful location, for which he agreed to
pay $4,000. When he went to his
hotel, however, and found that his de-
sire to take an occasional drink or a
bottle of wine at his meals was outlawed
by municipal ordinance, he cancelled
his order at once and packed himself off
for perhaps less beautiful neighbor-
hood, but one controlled by more lib
eral and enlightened policy. If grow
ing community will say, we do not
want people to locate with us who will
not allow us to say what they shall and
shall not drink, they need not be aston
ished if they are taken at their word.
We do not believe that Pomona has
been injured by prohibition, because
there has been determined and intelli-
gent opposition to it there; but we do
know that it is an exception to the rule
that the business and other interests of
prohibition cities suffer by policy that
is resented by four-ffths OF mankind.