New-York tribune., 1906-11-09
DRINKING In AMERICA
Sobnety a National VHtde, Says
We'll KnOicn TEN perancc Officer.

II does not usually occur 10 Americans that So
hrety is Of their national virtues. but. accord
ing Miss Agnes Slack, honorar, secretary Of
the Worlds Womar's Christa Temperance Union.
the United States is land 10 be euvied In this
respect Miss Slack. who came over FOR the White
Ribbon convention in Boston. is OF the best
known Temperance workers in the world. and, as
she has studied fhe temperance question in a good
many countries and kept in touch with # in all.
she ought TO know what she is talking abou,.
You are far in advance OF Great Britain in
many ways" she said tC a Tribune reporter re-
Gently. For one thing. you have local option.
which we are now fighting desperately for Our
licenses are in the hands of magistrates. who. in
stead Of being elected ny the people are appointed
by tbs LORD Lieutenant OF the county, who IS, in
his turn. appointed by The national government
Thus the granting of licenses in any particular
locality is entirely beyond the control Of the people
of that locality. Then the last governmen: passed
an lniQuitOus law providing that a license SHOULD
not be revoked without compensation 10 the holder
This was practically giving the property of the
nation, which the licenses have always been. the
liquor interests We hope that the present ParIia-
ment VIII reverse this law. ana also siNe US local
option.
Then you have Sunday closing laws They have
them also in scotland bur in England we have
succeeded IL getting the saloo&s closes only dur
ing the hours OF church service. You thirk such
laws DO no good because they are not enforced but
you are mistaken. A thing in violation OF law
is one thing. and the Same thing upheld by law is
quite another. You haven't nftieth part OF the
NI4LhltS llal you would SUNDAY without
Your Slnqay closing laws. II man cannot get a
otlhk W!thout violating the law he is not Likely
drinking is made easy ne1 drink simply because
The opportunity lis there
fact As they have mad proh5Sn for Ul eigy iiiiS
Tesze what Il eaat TO tRem Acoordngiy &c 4i 'G as
considerable amount OF Illicit liquor selling on
the people decided that il would be honest 10
regulate the traffic by law, and the prohibition law
ing away with the Illicit selling actually increased
y, and drunkenness increased so alarriliney that
they We're soon psreting three people in bed in
days recently. The women who had always gone
't5e streets az nlght win perfect teaTlessness
pie that many Of the counties have now passed
tive in securing the repeal Of the state law Is lead
Ing the fight for its re-enactment
that You are ahea3 df G2eat Bran Yog ha8ent
sot the customs and preJudces Of hundreds Of
10 combat With US social customs the great
some OF that here, but not to anything like the
much struck by the small amount Of drinking in
the hotels In OF the fashiOna bic hotels
IN Boston noticed only three OF four people TAX
ing intoMcaants. n Loadon half the people pres
America is oe Congratulated also in having
Gauss Of the harm done to the maids themselves
pqt because they dscoy young men into the saloons
for their personal attractions.
thew 90 in Fnssnd AZ ss Gr theT 80 dnnt do F s9
publicly. ! have neen told that they are accused Of
customed TO seeing Women go into saloons Just as
men do il seems to me that women in America
But don't think that we are making no progress
thinc against us-custor. science and the law
Now science and the medical profession have come
Sir Frederick Freras the Kings physician. say
ing that the smallest quantity Of alcohol is inju-
Miss Slack has given addresses IN Baltimore
oca las 6ad many ursent i9yitations 70 sPsak in
Philadelphia tomorrow.