The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-12-02
Monday, December 2, 1907.
4 COMING STRUGGLE.

4 COMING STRUGGLE.
 The increased prohibition sentiment and activity which are spreading over the country appear to be of differ ent character from that to which the country has been accustomed for a number of years. It is not party movement, but is advancing without respect to any party. It is an inde- pendent work, enlisting those of tenn perance sentiment in all parties. Yet to a considerable degree the Prohibit tion party may be said to have had large part in fostering and educating for many years public sentiment in the matter It has done much seed sowing, but the time for gathering re- suits appears to be given over to other methods and includes other points of view just now.
 Already the campaign is getting un- der way in this State, There will be no waiting for the session of the next leg islature, but every advantage will be taken of the local option victories in most of the towns of the State to in tensify the sentiment and organize the work for an actual State conquest. The opposing camps of liquor interests are divided in factions at time when their tactics are being met by temper ance tacticians of superior shrewdness Furthermore temperance work is grad ua1ly being urged from new mo- tive--the economic. Formerly the work of intemperance was shown in the physical harm done to those who indulged excessively in the use of in- toxicants; in the degradation of man hood, and in the impoverishment of the family. Today, especially ir tie southern States, it has been discoverei that the habit of intemperance low CTS < the efficiency of labor. Tie negro of the South, when he is sober, is de- clared by some who have practical ex- perience with him, to be as socd a workman as can be found anywhere, but when he has access to intoxicants. which is altogether too freouently, no work can be got out of him. The lahcr question in the South is perplexing. Tn order to maintain and to increase the efficiency of the negro workman, ii has come to be believed that prohibit tion will be good for the industrial in- terests of the South. But in tho north- tions have taken the position for some time that workmen of temperate hab- it's are the more efficient. Or certain railroad systems it is required that the employees shall be men who do not use intoxicants, for the reason that efficiency of service, care and thought fulness in handling safely valuable properties and lives, require sobriety, clear judgment and alertness in those who engage in such service. The whole temperance question has come to have an economic character and the greater value of the service of a temperate workman can be computed in dollars and cents. As rapidly as the practical side of prohibition is grasped a new motive appears that is apparently more powerful than arguments here- tofore presented.
 Usually these arguments applied to the individual and were made to ap- peal to the individual He was urged to act on his own initiative and at once form temperate habits. if he were giv- en to intemperance, in view of the great good that would come to the individual and his family; or men oi temperate habits were urged to unite and to vote for the prohibition of tht use of intoxicating liquor as bever- age in the interests of those who were in the way of temptation. But now the temperance question Is coming to have an industrial character in some sec. tions Industrial affairs are more ex. acting, and anything that is fount to impede the development of the in. dustrial organism must be put aside Everything that occasions waste ol lowers efficiency, or does not yield tt economy in industrial adjustments ant management is carefully examined and the remedy speedily applied. Tn, industrial organism must serve funda mentally the general welfare of soci ety. The highest qualities psychica and moral are being demanded in in dustrial operations which to-day ar highly and compactly organized ant correlated. If it is found that habit of intemperance are burden on in dustry and can be shown to detract fl so many dollars from general indus trial efficiency 1t can readily be seel