The Indianapolis journal., 1903-08-02
TEXAS Is GOING DRY.

Hartford Courant.

Hartford Courant.
There are gains for all our losses" sang
the poet. The Prohibitionists have had
losses-and pretty serious ones-in this cor
ner of the country, but just look at the gains
they are making in the Southwest. The
specially interesting fact about these gains
though thus far your political Prohibi-
ZIONIST gets mad at once If you try to call
his attention to it's that they are made
under local option.
Take thes two States of Mississippi and
Texas. In Mississippi the only counties In
which the sale of liquor over the saloon
bar is still a legal business are the few
that have cities in them. All the others
are now as ''dry" as law, with public senti-
ment can make them. We think IL will be
an unwise and harmful>policy on the part
OF rural Mississippi 10 force prohibition
upon the cities against their will, but all
the signs indicate that rural Mississippi
means to do just that thing, and at no dis
tant day.
What is the present situation in Texas--a
commonwealth whose 246 counties make
Connecticuts eight look very tiny flock
Indeed! In fifty-seven OF the Texas coun-
ties-mosty on the border or up in the
sparsely settled panhandle region-men
who have the price and are not too far
from a saloon can get their red liquor open
ly and unafraid. Frontier conditions and
IL.
the sale is legalzed in the cities and larger
towns, and prohibited outside them. In 130
counties IL is prohibited altogether. Three
big counties-Williamsor, Hunt and Falls
have voted the saloons out within month.
Half dozen counties will vote on the
question, under local option, within the
next month. The saloon men are putting up
a stiff tight but the odds are against them.
To the Chicago Record-Herald a corre-
| spondent writes from Dallas:
'"rhe Prohibitionsts within the Demo-
cratic party are organizing a campaign TO
elect a prohibition majority in the Legis-
lature to be chosen next year, in order that
an absolute prohibition amendment to the
| State Constitution may be submitted 10 a
vote of the people OF the State in a special
| strong prohibitionist, and is being looked
| to to help the movement along"
| Why have the farmers OF these two
| States, and of other States of the South.
| improved the opportunity given them by
the local option law TO shut up the whisky
| self-defense, for the protection OF their
| homes. Because the countryside is excep-
| tionally happy and fortunate that does not
| have its quota of ignorant, vicious loafers-
| white and black--who need watching when
sober and are devils unclaimed when drunk
| 1t would be breath wasted to preach tenn
| perance and sober self-restraint to them.
| The Southern farmers have taken the only
| practical course in the circumstances They
| have done what they can to take the whisky
| away from the dangerous classes I'm the
community-white and black alike-and to
keep it away. That Is common prudence
| and common sense. Forced, unwilling alb
| stinence from strong drink may not be the
| ideal thing; it isn't But the Southern
| farmers have judged that at the worst IL
is vastly better for farmhouse county
than drink-madness. hideous felony and
murder.