Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-02-11
N lgALiDs.
!rhe pfSsid6ht or ths w. q, n. u. Of
New Mexico Answers zine 0ptic's''
Request.

1 A A|""|
10 the Editor " the Optic.
FRESNO, California, February 9th,
~1S97.--In replying to your kindly re,
quest for opinions concerning needed
legislation In the Territory, we are
fully cognizant Of the fact that the
powers that be, are against us, Is to l,
Upon the statute books OF New
Mexico are many good laws, which, il
ferreted out and enforced, without
fear or favor, by honest, capable
officials, would do more 10 restore con
fdence in the ability Of man to govern
himself, than all the 'sdead letters
over enacted, and would place ouI
Territory in the vanguard Of progress
sive civilization. While 1t may be good
politics to protect American manufac'
tories, yet we assume that to pr0tecl
the sobriety and purity Of American
boys and girls. is better craftsmanship,
better humanity. The pressure Of tns
times would also indicate a. a safe
m0dns 0perandi, a retrenchnent in al
needless waste and useless expense, fol
the state as we'll as the individual.
In view, therefore, of the great need
Of human protection, both moral and
physical, and the wisdom of curtailing
q useless waste OF money aud resources,
we would that our Legislators might
make their names immortal, and cover
this sunny land all over with glory, by
enacting . good, strong law prohibiting
the importation, manufacture and sale
Of all intoxicating beverages.
OF course, we have heard, over and
over again, the sage () reasoning
that ssprohibition don't prohibit'', that
It ''kiils b~usiDess", that it means"fnaa-
cidl distress" to the community where
it prevails, and that ssupon the success
Of the saloon depends the success of
the public SCHOOL, etc. Nevertheless,
in the interest Of good government, it
must ever be q wise stroke OF economy,
and we are firm in the conviction that
the times are coming when that IN.
clean thing, that abominatlon of DESC
lation, will be removed from our midst
Forty per cent. of the Territory Of our
nation has legislated the saloon out Of
existence. 10 Georgia lightweight coun-
ties have not a single saloon, and F. T..
Reynolds, editor OF the North Georgia
Citizen, published at Dalton, White
field county, says: "Sixteen years
ago, this county voted prohibition
and in these sixteen years, only
thirteen mortgages or homesteads
have been fled" Dun's commercial
agency did not believe this report, and
made three different examinations Of
the records. by three different agents,
to be sure Of the accuracy Of the re.
port, and then pronounced it the best
county on the southern list. II this
condition OF things is a good thing for
. county, it must likewise be good for
q state or Territory. As long, how
ever, as the saloon can thrive, vt the
cost of human life and moral sacrifice.
we shall need to legislate in favor Of
sniarging our jails and prisons, build
ing county poor houses, reform schools,
and rescue homes, and the taxpayers
will have to foot the bills, and hearts
will have to break.
We would further plead with the
fathers, and brothers in our legislature
assembled, to raise the age of consent
for helpless girlhood from fourteen to
eighteen years, for only through the
golden rule of action, can we hope for
the golden age Of man.
Mrs. M. j. BORDEN.