The Pensacola journal., 1907-09-13
Sidelights on the ~
Anti-Pro. Campaign
AN EXPERIENCE MEETIN'
OF TOWN "BOOSTERS
Published By
Liquor Dealers Association.

4 TNtN IIN
OF TOWN "BooSTERS.'
/ One of the amusing features of the
present campaign, as conducted by
the Escambia County Prohibition
League, is the series of letters in the
nature of an old-fashioned experience
meetin'," published from time to time
in the department devoted to the in
terests of the league in the columns
of The Journal And, strange as it
may seem, these miscellaneous, sol
icited communications seem to inspire
those who peruse therl with the idea
that prohibition will prove a panacea
| for every business and moral i'll or
the community, as well provide a
| pathway toward the goal of 5aanciaI
indepor ;ience.
Argument is wasted upon those who
cOnsids- Int one phase of the fiupo-
sition, and who blindly believe every
statement lending to OCISter up their
cause. 10 batter Wa::1 the source or
the interest. either personal or GriI-
eral, that may have been behind such
statements. 1t is, therefore, to the
thinking voters of Escambia county
that this article is particularly ad
dressed.
Personal pride in a community
which one chooses as a place of res
idence is natural, and municipal pa
trfotism is praiseworthy, even when
ut is carried to extremes, and the cit
izen OF any village, town, city or
county who acquires the reputation OF
a "knOcker" is not only held in con-
tempt, but is generally repudiated by
his fellOw-men.
With all due respect to those who
have, upon request generally, contrib
uted the articles in question, and with
a full realization of their apparent
standing in the respective communi-
ties, it is possible that their enthusf-
asm in the interest of the towns of
which they write may have bubbled
over, as it were, with the result that
a false impression relative to the
benefits of prohibition may have
been created.
For instance, suppose that Escam-
bia county should vote in favor of
prohibition, and as resuIL Pensacola
stores reported Immensely decreased
business; real estate men wrestfed
with the problem of vacant houses;
in fact, that all lines of business and
industrial endeavor were vitally af-
fected by the advent of prohibition
Does any reasonable man suppose
that a Pensacola citizen of repute
could be found who would, in all fair
ness, state all actual conGftleus for
in other communities to
which the city naturally looked for a
portion, at least, of its business?
Would the esteemed Chamber of
Commerce advertise the fact of. Pen
sacola's financial and Industrial in
activity? Would the newspapers run
scare heads" telling the world that
Pensacola had slipped from its posi-
ton and was on the down grade?
The absolute contrary would un-
doubtedly be the case, and answers
to all inquiries would be tempered
with hope that the future would bring
forth those conditions which were so
confidently and freely promised be-
fore the catastrophe occurred.
Verify. the world hates a ''knocker,"
but us always ready to praise one who
boosts" his town.
Verify again, a confirmed booster"
will continue his boosting even in the
face of adverse conditions and incon-
facts.
Take the boosters" little dose cum
grano sails, or, better still, don't swal-
low it at all.
The cartoon in last evenings News
entitled Every Day VIII Be Like
Sunday Bye-and-Bye" would have been
more forcible had it been carried to
the logical conclusion. Instead of
merely representing a saloon closed, |
the illustration should have depicted
few grocery, dry goods and other |
stores, a bank and a factory or tive |
closed as we'll. In the dim distance |
the depleted shipping in the harbcr !
could also have been shown with great j
strength. However, the cartoon is ex- |
cellent anti-prohibitien campaign ma !
terial, and thanks are publicly accord !
ed the esteemed News for its kindly |
helping hand.