Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1903-11-01
heading of our article suggested,
Deplorable Tendency"


Deplorable Tendency"
Have you sent US club OF seven?
THE LOCAL FIGHT.
Do Party Prohibitionists Hinder 1t
While Working for the National
Overthrow of the Saloon?
The New Voice editorially expresses
a belief that for a great deal of the To-
cal saloon fighting the Anti-Saloon
League is better than the Prohibition
party. It adds more specifically eve
may say what we will, but strong,
well-known party Prohibitionist is very
apt to do temporary harm in a strict
ly local fight, and the more earnest he
is, the more liable. And we may say
what we will, but the strong party
Prohibitionist is not always willing to
concern himself about a small local
fight w.
We commend the spirit which our
national organ shows to our fellow
workers of the Anti-Saloon League
We do not need to approve all it's
methods in order to recognize that or
ganization as part of the army
marching against the saloon-albeit in
some cases by devious routes. But
we are compelled to dissent from the
opinion quoted above. The editor of
the New Voice has had opportunity for
wide observation. We would not as
sumo to question his position had not
our experience been so entirely con-
trary to his and did we not know
that even he may have slipped cog
in his conclusion, through his eager
ness to show kindly spirit toward
the League.
This writer has lived in several Min
nesota villages during the progress
of local conflicts with the saloon and
has been in touch with many other
such contests. In nearly all cases
party Prohibitionists have both inaug-
urated and led the fight. Out Of all
proportion to their numbers they have
circulated the necessary petition, ar
ranged for meetings, scattered litera-
ture, prosecuted quiet but thorough
canvass of the community to ascer-
tain the situation and it's needs, got
ten out the voters including the aged,
sick and lazy, watched for fraudulent
voters, watched the count and paid
the bills. In very large proportion
made with the saloon, nor won when
made, but for the zeal, heroism and
practical methods of party Prohibi-
tionists. This has been acknowledged
on all hands by their fellow-workers
in the other parties.
Nor is it true, we think, that the
more earnest party Prohibitionist
is the more liable he is to do tempo
rary harm. An unwise Prohibitionist,
a crank-we have some-is not only
liable but certain to do both tenn
porary and permanent harm in every
sort of battle with the saloon. But
if he be practical and self-controlled,
the more earnest he is-that is, the
more anxious he is for the success of
the right-the less likely he is to do
or say anything which will injure,
even temporarily and locally, the cause
he loves.
"And we may say what we will, but
the strong party Prohibitionist is"
nearly always willing to concern him.
self about small local fight" provid-
ed all his muscle and ammunition are
not just then needed in the larger
warfare. That he considers the local
fight mere skirmish compared with
the tremendous nationwide struggle
upon which we are entering is to his
credit. It is also to his credit that
while we are overthrowing the Amer
lean saloon, he is not willing to allow
his own community, his own children
and his neighbors' children to go to
the dogs through local pitfalls when
they can be closed.
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