The Advocate and news., 1898-12-14
THE FARMER AS A CHECK TO WICK
EDNEss.

AAO4NAA'Ds
Using prohibition as a text, the Wash
ington Post makes an attack on the in
huence Of rural communities In holding
in check the intemperance in liquor and
otherwise, that exists in the cities and
towns. The Posts ire is aroused by the
fact the the Vermont Legislature refused
to resubmit the question Of prohibition.
rAs ia generally known" the Post
mournfnlly remarks, prohibition in
Vermont is the same sad failure that 1t
ID In Maine, New Hampshire and Kan
sas" Then 1t proceeds to read the fol-
lowing lecture:
The Senate passed the referendum bill
but II was killed In the house. The rep
resentatives from the small towns voted
against It, admitting that they thus voted
because they feared that majority OF
the people would be found to favor
change IL they were given a chance to
express their opinion
Thus we see in Vermont, where there
are no large cities, the same determina-
tlOn OF the country to rule the town that
we find in New York, Illinois and other
States that have large urban communi-
ties. In many instances the agricultural
sections, Of a State have an undue pre-
ponderance OF votes In the Legislature,
and use II to tyrannize over and, In some
cases. to plunder the cities. The revenues
of the city of New York are legislatively
robbed OF millions annually to tighten tax
alton for the farmers. But this deliberate
refusal OF the rural representatives In YER
mont to let the people vote on the liquor
law, and their candid confession that they
did not intend to submit to majority rule
on that subject, Is an extreme case OF
rural tyranny
Now two of the statements the Post
makes are absolutely false and mis-
leading. The first of these Is that pro-
hlbition is sad failure in Kansas. We
do not speak for Vermont or any other
State. The regulation of the liquor traf-
dc is matter which requires study Of
the community for which regulation is
proposed. 1t may be that prohibition
lis particularly adapted to one cOmmun-
ity while another system entirely Is ap-
plicable to another locality. We believe
that the public ownership idea is the So
luton of the question nationally. AS to
State or county matters only one general
rule can be laid down: that prohibition,
local option, the dispensary system or
almost any other means is in advance of
license. 1t is because the Post makes
che same old tiresome plea for "a good
license system" m"-something that can
never be--that we quarrel with it on the
liquor question.
Prohibition is not failure in Kansas;
n Az ls highly a success. 1t keeps the traf-
n Ne of the street and drives 1t into hid
tng. License would let 1t throw its
/. srappling irons clear into the home and
n make half the streets of city decidedly
q unsafe for the man of weak will to travel.
A Prohibition in Topeka helps the worker
4 lga the Santa Fe shops to build and beau
\ eify his home and to educate his chill
y dren. License would furnish half hun
dred wide-open traps along his way
v home, in any one of which he might
n easily spend the price of a meal, or
A cloak or an organ or piano in dissi
\ patton which only takes away his manli-
ness. The people Of Kansas say through
N lpfOhibltiOns I'VE have no concern with
a what you drink at home. You may keep
N Il barrel or book case, a beer glass or