The Portland daily press., 1897-12-08
Mistletoe, by Frances B Arnold; Four
for Fortune, Chapters to s. by Albert
Lee.
TEMPERANCE, A POPULAR MAT
TO the Editor Of the Press:

TO the Editor Of the Press:
Is there any question that will call out
greater audience than temperance? Let
the people be little bit aroused and
they will crowd n hall as big as City hall
to listen to discussions on temperance
and prohibition. Now if the principle of
temperance Is popular it follows that the
suppression of incompetence is popular
and, if SO, that the suppression, or prohi-
bition, of all causes which lead TO intern.
perance are popular. The citizens of
Portland have seen City hall crowded to
its utmost capacity to listen to few
speakers none of whom were remarkable
as temperance orators. John B. Cough
could I'LL the largest halls in this country.
Immense, worldwide organizations have
been formed for the spread and support
OF temperance. 1t is, unquestionably, a
and tear, more endless repetition and tiers
ton from the pulpit or platform than al
most any other subject t sltccsst can be men
toned. repeat, jtnen, that if temper.
ance Is popular inc prohibition, in some
posltlVe Way, of the liquor traffic is also
popular. Large state majorities have
Repeatedly emphasized this fact.
The Rev. e. E. Woodward, it seems,
has found material for sermon among
the rum shops. He probably had a good,
average church attendance and entertain
ment. He has arrived at the conclusion
that plenty of liquor is being sold in
Portland, that great deal of bribery is
going on, and has discovered, latter dill
gent inquiry that the judges and county
attorney are not in 1t. He makes COM
mendabIe, and purely natural effort, to
place the responsibility and then naively
asks: why should we blame the
officers?' Sure enough Did he inter-
view any of themf Did he arrive at his
conclusion as to the prohibitory senti-
ments of the judges and county attorney
by direct personal inquiry? Ii SO it wass
of course, shser waste of time. Any
minister, or any member of the Christian
Civic League, can learn more OF the true
| inwardness of non-enforcement by talk
| ing with the party bosses than with all
the city officials of the past dozen years.
Any official may declare that he would
| like to see rigid enforcement of the law,
but ask any city boss and, if he is as
| frank as many Of them are, he will tell
you he don't want the law enforced. Ask
| him If there is not some sort of trade. or
some understanding with the rumsellers
at every election and, if an honest man,
he will say: Eyes Now as the official
| is understood to be the creature of the
boss what inference must be drawn, where
does the Responsibility really lie? The
city boss wants the liquor vote and he
can only get it by being easy with the
rumsellers.
| Prohibition will be thoroughly praotica-
| BILE when the rumsellers are treated by
| party leaders as other business men are
| treated Citizens doing legitimate
| business are not forced to ask for proteo-
ton in exchange for their votes. If bosses
undertook to dictate to the average bust.
ness man as they do to rumsellers they
would be shown the door, or helped out
of it, Neither party presumes to dictate
| to the general businss man, or to max hi-
| business success depend on the way hi
votes. II both parties would agree
| ignore the rumsellers, in local eiecti "
"a voting contingent, The Iiquor
would have no bearing on the rcsplt
| the prohibitory law would be eiveu
only fair test, since its enactment. q, 4
| thorhoughly enforceable measure.
j. s WHITE