The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-14
PROHIBITION AND MORALS.
The Question i'm Jefferson Viewed from
 a Business Standpoint.

The Question I'm Jefferson Viewed from
 a Business Standpoint.
 Birmingham ge-Herald.
 While 1t is generally conceded by thoughtful business men that prohlDi, tion in Jefferson County would retard the industrial development of the Bir- that that W it would T improve @ the morals of the community; that 1t would minimize the whiskey evil and would, therefore, be well for our people as whole. TX FIX treme prohibitionists, arguing from the moral point of view. have said: TT then let's kill It."
 question although some of the prohibi- ton leaders of fntemperate thought and speech will look at only one: So bent are they in their attempt to force trict that they will not stop to ooneid- CT the meaning of morals in the hlgher sense or the moral relation Of wage earning and individual liberty to pres-
 Drunkenness is one of the worst of evils. That Is a fact that everybody admits but those who are opposed to sumptuary laws fail to see either the justice or the wisdom of making It un lawful for a man to take a glass ot wine or beer. Temperance Is one or the greatest virtues. but prohibition experience of every prohibition town that along with prohibition comes the criminal sale of liquor. NO maLser what abuses may have been, charge able to the saloon business, the crime and degradation growing out Of the non-licensed traffic in alcohol are Tar iYsH Birmingham, ih with it's inadequate po- lice protection and with It's financial inability to enlarge the police force, woid crs endeg Seg yioIeboe empars oSr police court record with the record ot PotIand, Me.--2s5 arrests for drunken; ness in Birmingham last month, ana gust-and Portland is prohibition city. Owing to our peculiar conul- tions, it is reasonable to suppose that the blind tiger business would pc more more it is in Portland, or any other ory town of its size, - .a .ho
 So many people have formed tne meaning to commercialism that some there be who would confound the com mereial aspect of every question hltn tremists' ts business integrity counts for nothing if 1t does not square With Ineir ideas of prohibition. Murder IS crime, but the mere act Of taking 2 drink of wine as beverage IS hot: not: Yet some unreasoning prohibitionists would put them in the same category
 Now, there is great moral pfinci- rle involved in the prohibition a6sn qpeT freT, it's commercial side. of1ciais in charge of the steel and iron producing c ,m- panies in this district say that pTohi- bttion would for obvious reascns cnecK their operations and would seriously interfere with their plans for future expansion. These same officials would doubtless be gratifed if all the men in their employ would abstain rom strong drink, but at the same time they are not here to try to enforce to- tai abstinence. On the other hand, they could not induce skilled labor to come from Pittsburg or other industrial cen. ters if Jefferson County were dry" The labor problem is already serious. and with prohibition it would be far more serious. Hundreds and hundreds of men now on the pay rolls would leave, and few would come to take district would be paralyzed. As con- sequence, real estate values would shrink, and business in general would be injured. The harm would be far reaching.
 Innocent men and women would suf- fer. Men of families who never taste liquor, but who are toiling to rear their little ones in refinement. would find have ito default on payments due on their homes. and all because prohibi- tion which does not prohibit had dealt a blow to the Birmingham district The revenue. for blind tigers" pay no State, county, or city license. and retrench- ment would have to be speedy and se- were. A reduced fire department would mean higher insurance. or no insurance at all and it would be a question if the municipal government could meet obligations already assumed. This pie ture IS not overdrawn.
 Prohibition and morals are not sym onymous terms; quite the reverse. High wages and honest labor; the full din- ner pail; freedom from debt and happy homes-these are the things that make for peace and make for morals. "If prohibition is going to kill the district then let's kill 1t" will not win at the polls on the 2Sth of October.