Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-02
LOS ANGELES TO BE DRY BY
ANOTHER YEAR
WOULD END TRAFFIC IN CITY
Prohibition Leaders Assert They VIII
Put Question Before People
for Deciding Vote at
Early Election

line liquor traIIlc must go anu She'ii
go. Before the beginning of another
year we will send it to hell with a
special message to the devil"
This was the sentiment expressed at
mass meeting called by the Rev. j..
Wiley Phillips yesterday afternoon at
the Fraternal hail. for the purpose OF
inaugurating campaign which will
bring the question of the abolition OF
the liquor traffic in Los Angeles be-
fore the people for vote.
The hall was crowded with enthusias-
tic exponents of the prohibition party
as we'll as prominent members of the
w. G., r. u, when Chairman Philips
announcer the object of the meeting,
and before the session was dismissed 1t
was decided to begin at once an organ
lied crusade against the liquor traffic
and to take definite measures for call
ing an election and submitting the
question to the voters.
The Rev. C. A. Hall, well known
evangelist and prohibition speaker, gave
the principal address of the afternoon.
People Should Decide
The Rev. Mr.. Hall contends that the
re ason there are saloons in Los An
geles is because the people have not
had a chance to say whether they Will
have them, and that all that is needed
is an opportunity to express themselves
on the subject at the polls.
The Rev. Mr. Hall said in part:
"There are more people in this city
who hate the liquor traffic than there
people who love it. l believe the
majority of the people prefer that the
city shall be free from the damning,
blighting influence of the liquor
power, and the trouble is they have not
had fair and square opportunity to
express themselves on the question.
1--WE have talked and passed con-
demnatory resolutions, but now is the
time to take steps to give the people
a chance to say at the ballot box
whethef they desire this infamous bust.
ness to be legalized and protected in
Los Angeles
"The question of the prohibition OF
the liquor traffic is no longer a ques-
tion of cranks and fanatics and day
dreamers and idle Missionaries. BY all
honest people it is now regarded as a
question of sound social science, of
practical political economy, of profound
Christian morality, of municipal, state
and national salvation. BY it's own
confession it stands a menace to our
civilization worse than famine, worse
than pestilence and worse than war.
To End Traffic
"It ought to die and it will die in this
city within one year if the decent peo-
pie will only wake up and quit being
content with making faces at the
liquor powers from the windows of a
parlor meeting, and passing resolu-
tions at a church session. If they Will
stand on their feet and double up their
fists and strike TO kill, the liquor traf-
fic will go to hell with a message that
we sent it there. The time has come
when men shall say. You have come
this far but you will have to stop now.
The churches of Los Angeles have the
power to wipe out the curse, the re-
sponsibility is theirs and the blame Will
be theirs if this enemy of the church
and city is not voted out.
do not blame the lawmakers. 1t is
true that they violate the spirit of the
constitution and turn loose in Los An
geles a murderous army, but they are
just the servants of the people and
must do what the public demands.
Hold Balance of Power
"The people are the lawmakers, the
people are supreme and what they vote
becomes the law. The Christian organ
izations of Los Angeles hold the bal
ance of power, and If We today set in
motion machinery that under the ini-
tiative and referendum clause of the
city's charter will call for submis-
sion of the question to the voters of
Los Angeles and if we stand shoulder
to shoulder as the saloon men do, we
can win"
When Mr.. Hall had finished speaking
a general discussion ensued after
which resolution to make plans for
the submission of a prohibition ordi-
nance to the voters was passed and a
committee appointed.