The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-12-24

W
and women-thieves and gamblers, har-
lots and paupers, who have been re- !;
cruited by the hundreds and thousand
from the dives and the groggerles,
which BIZ defiance to law and order?
Is it singular that among the most
earnest and enthusiastic workers for
prohibition are the women-the mothers,
the wives, the sisters and the sweet
hearts of men,
How many of these have experienced
the -burnngs, the heart-breaklngs
from the wretchedness and the wicked
ness of some of their loved ones, lie
bauched through the saloon?
Is it strange that these women, with
homes blightei, with happiness blasted,
standing in constant dread of the COM
ing at any hour during the night, OF
some dear ones, perhaps husband, or
father, or son, intoxicated with BRAIN
fired hendishness, should bend their ev-
cry energy towards prohlbltlono
But, declare some of the opposition
who favor the saloon for revenue only,
prohibition will not prohibit, and the
blind tiger and the jug trade will sup
| plant the saloon.
Is not this statement dlscredlt.
weakness, a fragrant effort to derlde pro-
hibition2
The blind tiger and the Jug trade will
supplant the saloon if the prohibitionists
will permit it, but the men and the
women engaged in this struggle for the
liberation of the community from the
evil which blasts homes and leads to
perry and want, will see to it that
neither the blind tiger nor the jug trade
shall nullify the efforts directed to-
wards the betterment of their city and
their parish.
Regulate the saloon, insist its advo-
Gates for revenue only! How?
| The past has demonstrated the i'm
possibility of regulating an evil which
has dominated in politics AMI dictated
policies of administrations
High license is offerel as a panacea !;
a license SO high that few could pay it.
In a sense this would be a mitigation OF
the evil. but why invest monopolistlc
feature to the saloon if its existence is
necessary to the welfare of a connnrn-
ityo Why not wipe it out altogether?
1t is only since the last mayoralty cleo
ton that | reached deliberately the con-
clusion that prohibition was the only
possible and reasonable restraint of the
saloon, which | have discussed fully
from a political viewpoint.
i In this effort | have addressed myself
to the moral view From moral view
no self-respecting man will defend it.
| The saloon has been tolerated by suffer
ance. 1t has reached the point when it
must be obliterated from the city OF
Shrepannr+ and -Cnddn- parish There
; can be no compromise; the issue must
, be fought to the end and won.
| Prohibition is suggested and dictated
in the interest of all that which is best
for a community. It is growing arnaz-
ingly. 1t has triumphed in Georgia
t Local option prevails in Alabama. In
Kentucky o5 out of IIo counties are
, registered for prohibition Aside from
the moral view, it is strengthened by
the absolute necessity of withholding
: whiskey from the negroes, especially in
the rural districts of every Southern
State. Who could be a greater menace
: than negro filled with whiskey? And
this menace is intensified when the ne
t gro is lawless1y inclined.
Let no pleader for revenue be misled
1t is a question of only few years
when prohibition will dominate in every
State in the South
!, This must prevail, not only from a
, moral and ecoonmic principle, but ii
the spirit of self-protection.
The issue may be precipitated in
Louisiana within two years 1t is in
evitable. This rapid stride towards pro-
: hibition is the result of the recklessness
of the saloon, especially the dives and
the groggeries in their audacious de-
1ance of law and order.
1t is of record that wherever prohi-
bition is prevailing, the most gratifying
conditions are obtained Crime is at the
minimum and prosperity is supreme
:, Why should not Shreveport and Cad1o
parish derive equal advantages? The
struggle is now on in Shreveport and
in Caddo parish Do not minimize the
contest. While it is true that the gentler
sex have no vote, they exert an influence
which, if silent, is all-powerful for
good. Much will depend on their eff
forts. Success is assured if every good
citizen will do his full duty. Then, let