The Washington herald., 1907-10-18

I
Believer I'm German System.
Miss Phoebe Couzins, formerly strong
advocate Of prohibition. and whose in
fuence in the ranks of the anti-saloon
people was second 20 none. but who of
recent years has repudiated the slogan,
down with the saloon. is emphatically
opposed to the fight that the w. c. T. L.
is making before Congress to make Wash
ington dry town"
Il am against prohibition" said Miss
CouZins, for the simple reason that it
does not prohibit have made thorough
Investigations Of the claims advanced BY
the prohibition forces that the drink evil
Is at the root of almost every crime on
the calendar. If that were true. how Is
1t that the percentage Of crime has not
diminished in the States where prohibit
ton has been a law for years-lilze Kan
sas. Maine. and other communities?
Crime fiourishes just the same; the per-
centage is even somewhat higher. if any
thing Prohibition makes sneaxs out Of
men and boys. Prohibition always does,
no matter in what shape 1t may be pro-
pounded
DeBOunces Church influence.
Another ridiculous point is the fact
that lot Of women and children. led By
preachers. should force their views on a
community Of voters and taxpayers. Il
is too SSsurd for discussion. 1t is a case
where the church interferes with legisla-
ton, for all prohibition organizations are
the handiwork Of preachers who seek
power and self-gain.
Washington, with its great floating
population Of visitors. Senator's, Congress
men, foreign diplomats. government
clerks, and tourists, should not be treated
in the same manner as a community
which consists OF a never, or but little.
changing. permanent population; that is
to, say. where everybody knows almost
everybody else: II would be narrow mind
ed TO a degree 10 subject the foreign con-
tingent Of Washington 70 the incOnveni-
ence 0f law which would deprive them
of their accustomed refreshments and
beverages. It is a serious question in my
mind whether Congress should pass laws
binding upon the foreign embassies here,
which are considered foreign territory.
Supervision Only Remedy.
Proper supervision Of the liquor traffic
on the part OF the government would ac-
complish the results sought by the tenn
perance people, prohibition never will. For
avau-,,Ia tale rh. C.rv-o, .,1.~1. L,
Germany, where drunkenness is less than
IN any other country, and where the peo-
pie are accustomed TO their beer and wine
from childhood up, the drinking places
are kept under strict surveillance of the
police authorities who at the slightest In
fraction Of the laws on the part of the
owners Of saloons take their license away
from them, never 10 have them again re-
stored.
The cocktail, which has created such
a commotion in political and W. c. T. {. /
circles OF late. should be regarded quite
from what the prohibition peo- (
pie would wish a credulous public 10 be-
Ieve. The cocktail is OF patriotic origin. !
and its inventor, Betsy Flanagan. ought |
to be immortalIzed by her statue being
placed in the Statuary Hail in the Capitol /
alongside Miss Frances +. Willard
The First Cocktail Mixer.
Betsy Flanagan was an Irisn lass. and
lived in Virginia at the time Of the
American Revolution. She was known /
everywhere as a good cook and a good. /
hot-tempered American pa
triot, who hated the British red coats I
with all the intensity of her nature. She
was a good-looking girl, and an officer in /
the continental army made her his wife. |
II was always her inEermost wish TO fol- /
low her husband on his marches and |
through the battles OF the war. but he I
would not permit it. He was wounded I
and died. after which his wife moved 10 /
New York State, where she opened up an I
eating and drinking place, locating be- /
tween White Plains and TarrytOwn Here /
It happened that she had for a neighbOr /
a British Tory, who was fond OF chickens I
and game cocks. Betsy mated the Tory
because he was against us. and she con- /
sidered him at once her personal enemy, /
and decided 10 institute warfare on his 1
chicken coop, with the result that the 4
flock of game cocks dwlndled from day
to day, much to the discontinue Of the /
loyal red coat
How II All Happened.
Betsy was celebrated for a certain /
brand Of drink she brewed for the
American continentals., She called it 1
bracer.' On one particular evening she
invited the American and French officers /
to chicken supper. After the cookery /
Of Betsy had been sampled and praised /
by the patriots, she invited them into a /
back room. where she had prepared a /
surprise for them On the sideboard /
there were lined up as many 'bracers'
as there were officers IN the company.
and IN each glass there was placed a
bunch OF feathers from the tails of the
game cocks. legitimately confscated by
patriotic Betsy from the barnyard of the
Briton. Toasts were drunk to Betsy's
patriotism. but it was left to a French
nan to lift up his bracer in one hand and
The feathers in the other. and with a
DOW to Betsy and the officers. exclaimed,
Viva Ia cocktail The word struck home. /
and has ever since then been with the
American people.
Don't you think Betsy Flanagan de-
serves monument In the Statuary Hall
If CongTess?'' said Miss Couzins