The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-12-23
LOCAL OPTION,
OR PROHIBITION

Some months ago Professor W. o. Awater of Wesleyan Uni
verty read paper Substitutes for the Saloon before the
mems assembly of the First Methodist church i'll Mddletown
Conn.
The outcome of Professor Atwaters address was series
cusons covering period of than four months AT the end
of the discussion the assembly Of club made temperance
meno lawyers cergymen merchants and teachers adopted
In these resolutions declared that Christian beraty for
bids the condemnation of every of alcoholic drink SINFUL
that prohibition has proved satisfactory that local
ton has advantages that unenorced prohibition laws
demorazng that the objects of temperance reform to
curb drinking and abolish the saloon exists, and that
succeed all temperance workers. whether prohbOnists
local oponists of high license work together
to remedial legislation and substitutes for the
saloon.
Outlook of Nov Professor Awaer says that the
sumption of the resolutions is that prohibition in the ordinary
failure He directs attention to the fact that prohibition
has been adopted various periods by sixteen states has been
declared unconstitutional in New York. tried and abandoned in
ten states and is the law of hve-Naine New Hampshire,
Vermont Kansas North Dakota In the first three of these
the question of repeal is under consideration.
In Vermont last September the regular Republican party with
platform favorng referendum the prohibition law, poed
As per of the An independent which de-
manded local option, with choice between prohibition and high
license poed cent OF the vote The regular Democratic
party with platform urging local option with high license cast
per cent the while the regular Prohibition paryhe
only that positively favored the retention OF the prohibition
law-cast but SO per of the entire vote
Local option in various forms obtains in thrtyseven
Seventeen of these have local option for the by direct
popular Six states have local option by direct popular
applicable to special localities or rural districts only In nine
states the control OF the traffic is the hands OF municipal
ellis
Professor Awater takes cognzance of the that prohibition
has been backed by tremendous and has had
the support of many of the wisest and Wohest citizens But he
contends that has not sufficiently clear and strong ethical
basis the needed approval and support Where does
prohibit he says 1t demoraze and does strike the
foundations of the saloon"
Against prohibition Professor Awaer believes the saloon bids
fair stand because prohibition does little inter
re with the profits the saloon business and nothing whatever
supply the social need supplied by the saloon He believes
also moral which has organized and
powerful opposition be permanently successful unless the
method has the cleaest ethical basis AS far prohibition
concerned this questioned by OF the WOrthe citizens
who cannot reconcile themselves to arbitrary measures or to the
demorazng influence of unenorced prohibitory laws.
The conclusion is that temperance reform has not succeeded
because the temperance people have not united plan like
of local option The discussion among the NiddeOWn
Meodss and the summing up by Professor Awaer show that
practical temperance refomers having tested prohbory laws
turning broader policy, contemplating substitutes
for the saloon and reform through persuasive influence ndv
duals rather than through laws which criminals all
who drink.