The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-06-15
PROHIBITION DOES PROHIBIT.
70 the Editor ocala Banner:

To the Editor Ocala Banner:
Last Sundays Banner repeated the
same old, fallacious argument against
prohibition, and its effect in dry"
county. The reasoning process by
which the Banners conclusion was
reached would be amusing were it not
for the gravity of the question at is
sue. It's reasoning would lead one to
the conclusion that any law that is
violated is a positive failure! OF
course the Banner would not take this
position when discussing any other
question; but when prohibition is the
text there is an utter disregard for
fairness and sound reasoning. Every
other law may be violated, yet there
is no motion TO repeal; but when pro-
hibition is violated in the least, it is
an ignominous failure
On special occasion, when Cover
nor Broward spoke in Daytona, and
on the day of election in Seville, some
liquor was ordered from Jacksonville
for distribution. A mare snest! This
and every other sporadic case is held
up as evidence of absolute failurei The
fact that the liquor was ordered for a
special occasion, and was not a con-
slant stream running from a saloon,
is lost sight of, and the least infrac-
ton of the law is held up as an un-
pardonable sin, and therefore the law
should be repealed!
Why not be reasonable and stick to
the facts in the case?
1. That Saloon-the most seductive
trap or school-has been removed, and
the distribution" of liquor. with its
crime producing nature, has been so
greatly reduced, (not annihiiated) the
saloon men are actually fighting pro-
hibition! The difference between a con-
slant flow of liquor from a legalized
reservoir, and the occasional tap of a
dry" makes the dealers sdueal like a
pig baptised with hot water. They
know that every pipe (saloon
that is cut off from the main reser-
vOir is a tremendous loss. Hence the
wine and Spirit Gazette" and all
notes of alarm. Those noto~ - ------
are recommended to the Banner. The
fallaciOus argument about dry" coun-
ties does not accord with those notes
of alarm; and IL the Banner likes to
please an intelligent constituency it
should cease taking a position at var
lance with the distress notes of the
liquor dealers journalistic voice. Pro-
hibition does not prohibit, else the hit
dog would cease bowling
2. A thing that is outlawed cannot
operate with that facility and free
dom and profit that obtains when the
sanction of law is given. The most
regular and systematic. and therefore
the most effective method of produc-
ing crime and disregarding the public
is to clothe the saloon with authority,
and legalize its arts in corrupting So
ciety. Outlaw the business AMI you
reduce crime and social rottenness;
legalize it; and you have regular sys-
TEN of perpetual operation. and whose
claim connects the hilarious bar" not
only with continuous crime, but with
the disreputable house where "some
mothers child" lies down i'll drunken
stupo-. and finds her winding sheet"
in no tapping tongues Of forked Ere!
Shall we continue to demand absolute
prohibition. arraying every silly, ar
gument that can be forced out of &C.
casional violations, and allow red
crime and black rotenness to flourish
under public authority?
L. w. MOORE.