Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-10-28
OPINIONS
OF GREAT
LEADERS

who have lived and suffered in prohibit
tion states will give an accurate idea of
the dangers of this kind Of legislation.
Governor Boies, writing of ptohibi.
tiou in Iowa in 1890, said: "I feel
certain that more distilled spirits are
used as beverage in Iowa under the
present law than ever have been or
ever would be under a liquor system.
am equally certain that the spirits
used are of the worst kind. There is
no doubt that the prohibition has
failed to lessen the evils Of intemper'
ance, has retarded immigration into and
fastened emigration from the state and
consequently drained the state of inn
mense sums of money sent to other
states for the purchase of liquors.
do not believe that crime has been
diminished or criminal expenses by this
law, or that criminal convictions are
less than before this law went into eff
feet. Instead thereof If we count
prosecutions, convictions and expenses
incurred under this law, they have been
greatly increased"
Rev. r. j. Mackay, Council Bluffs,
Iowa, says: CATER several years of
trial of prohibition in this city the law
has proved miserable farce. The
county has been put to au immense
amount of trouble and expense, all to
no purpose.
''I do not believe that the open sa'
loon is as dangerous TO the morals of
the rising generation as the club rooms
and private drinking habits which pro
hibitiou creates. The worst trap for
ineautous youths is the one which is
disguised and hidden under the pleas.
ing form of club life and amid the
secrecy ever dear TO the youthful mind
We can guard our youth from a danger
which we see and know, but against
these hidden foes, which appeal so
powerfully to certain instincts in the
human heart, who can protect themf''
Ex-secretary Russell A. Alger, Michi
gan, says: "You can't talk prohibi.
tion in Michigan, for VIC have tried It
and know what dire failure IL is.
When we had prohibition, the state
was flooded with smuggled beer and
whisky, and it was impossible for us
to prevent it. We now license the sa'
looms, and while there is no more liquor
drank than there was during the reign
of prohibition, we derive an enormous
revenue from the traffic, besides pre-.
venting liquors from being smuggled
into the state and sold illegally, as /.
puts the saloon men to guarding each
other. | have always considered pro
hibition failure, and don't believe Il
can ever be made effeetuaL"
Governor Rodwell Maine, says; 81
am trying to enforce prohibition in
Maine, but | find it the biggest job I
ever undertook. -
Ex-Governor Rice, Massachusetts,,
SAYS: 81 do not favor the prohibitory
amendment for the reason that l am In
favor Of the most efficient means for
suppressing drunkenness; and l believe
the adoption of such an amendment
would lead to an increase OF drunken.
ness. Whatever may have been the
effect elsewhere, prohibition has not
been a success in Massachusetts,.
az recognize the sincerity and zeal
for good which inspires many of the
advocates of prohibition; but my own
opinion, reinforced by observation and
experience, is that prohibition in Mas.
sachusetts has not been, and will not
be, means Of diminishing drunken.
ness. +"
Ex-Governor Gardner, Massachusetts,
says; "The result Of the former pro
hibitory law which, by the way, !
signed while chief magistrate was so
unsatisfactory in its result that II wns
repealed by decisive majorities In q
succeeding legislature, and does not en-.
courage the re-enaetment Of similar pros
visi0ns.'
Ex-Governor Robinson, Kansas, says;
"No progress in temperance reform
ever resulted from prohibition, or ever
will. All the progress that has been
made from the time when the use Of in
toxicating drinks was well nigh uni
versal to the time when not one-fourth
Of the people resort TO them has been
made outside OF prohibition. In every
attempt at legal prohibition the TEN
peranee cause has suffered.