The National tribune., 1907-09-26
NATIONAL PROHIBITION.
II Seems TO be In the Air, and the Strug-
gle May Come This Winter.

Lawmakers and officials around
Washington are beginning to talk
about the certainty in the near future
of a National prohibition movement
prohibition has been sweeping the
Southern States Oklahoma, largely
populated by SGutherners, has just gone
dry by a pronounced vote. Missouri.
in the heart of the teeming Southwest,
| has recently shown powerful senti-
ment for local option in a considerable
majority of its Counties. Georgia has
adopted a prohibition law, and the
Democrats of Kentucky. where 90 out
of 119 Counties are against the sale of
intoxicants. have declared for State pro-
hibition. 1t is said that Tennessee
Democrats will take a similar stand
Not many years ago prohibition
measures were sneered at in Congress,
b.t it is now practically impossible to
persuade majority of Senate or House
to vote against any provision that curbs
the sale of liquors. The anti-canteen
law. the law forbidding the maintenance
Of public bars in the Capitol Building,
and the law against the sale of intoXi-
cants in immigrant stations and other
public buildings belonging to the Fed
eral Government were enacted by big
maiorities.
| An effort TO persuade Congress to
adopt prohibition for the District of
1
Washington, is under consideration. If
such measure could be brought be-
| fore Senate and House for square
vote it is quite possible that it would
be adopted. But ways may be found TO
sidetrack il to the District Committees.
A District prohibition bill, however, was
defeated in committee last session by
only one vote.
| Treasury officials are showing an in
terest, because they realize that if the
growth of the prohibition movement
continues eventually it will affect the
| Federal revenues. There have been
strenuous demands for legislation that
would check the interstate traffic in
| liquors. These have not been granted in
any material way, altho the time may
not be distant when the two Committees
| on Interstate Commerce will tire of
| their OPPOSITION to some such an enact
ment.
Anything approaching National pro-
hibition would necessitate extensive fis-
cal reform, for good part of the Gov
ernments receipts comes from the
taxes on drinkables. The internal rev.
enue from distilled spirits in 1906 was
l$13I. 600, 600 and from fermented liquors
S54, 100000 more, making a total of
1892, 100000. The figures for the fiscal
year of 1907 have not been made up,
but will probably amount to 100000
600.
The total expenses of the Govern
ment for the fiscal year of 1906 were
approximately s737,000,000, of which
the revenue from fermented and dis
titled liquors paid something more than
quarter. If this source of income
should be curtailed greatly in the course
of the next 10 or Is years some other
means of raising additional Federal
taxes would have to be devised
This is bound to become one of the
arguments against prohibition measures
in Congress, altho it may be some time
before any decrease in internal revenue
becomes perceptible because of Fed
eral prohibition. The lawmakers have
been hoping for some relaxation of
public sentiment. but it has been grow
ing, and the Southern Democrats, who
used to be the most aggressive oppo-
nents of Federal prohibition measures,
are now earnest champions. The strug
gle with the reformers, who keep a
well-organiZed lobby at the Capitol
every session of Congress, has therefore
become somewhat desperate.