The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-09-17

at is more important and more de-
sirabIe that ALL THE PEOPLE
should drink beer than that people
should drink more beer."-Brewers'
National Convention.
The brewers of the United States,
in their national convention at Allan
tic City, n. j., made NO secret of the
fact that they are alarmed over the
great advance of prohibition senti-
ment, as the report of their ''Vfgi-
lance Committee given in part in
The Union Signal for June q, plainly
showed. A Cleveland, O., brewer in
his address before the convention, ex-
pressed what were, from all reports,
the sentiments of the meeting, when
he said:
81 cannot refrain from Uttering a.
word of warning and pointing out the
serious aspect under which the saloon
business has to CONFRONT questions and
conditions like the present, in many
of our states, damaging in the extreme
to the brewers interests, as well.
ut will answer no good purpose to
unite in the persistent and earnest en-
deavor to check public prejudice and
to counteract this systematic aggres-
sion by taking a t1rm and practical
stand in opposing all Objectionable
features of the laws.
Our enemies not only attack beer,
but they attack the brewers because
they claim that the brewer is the
only medium that makes such con-
ditiOn, as it now exists. They also
claim that it is the brewers money
which enables many undesirable par
ties in business to exist. However
true it may be, the brewers of the
United States should by this time be
able to judge. ~
If some of those damaging condi-
tons as they now exist were brought
about by our own actions, whereby we
gave our enemies their most formid-
able weapon with which we enabled
them to keep up the prejudice against
our business We ought to do some
housekeeping, as well as improve the
surroundings of our business.
I'VE will find, it necessary to sep
arate the brewers interests from that
of the distillers and dealers of LIQUOR,
and no longer allow public opinion to
associate the brewers interest with
that Of the. diStillers Of liquor. 1t ap-
pea16 to me such an idea is entitled
to the consideration of our associ-
alton, as there is absolutely nothing
in common with the two interests
= / don't see why the brewers
should continue to fight the battles of
the liquor interests.
Our continuance to associate with
the liquor interests in fighting our
enemies, will not enable us to make
known to the public the true nature
of our business and product and its
beneficial qUalities-therefore, the
prejudice against the brewery business
will be kept up cerrespondingly with
that of the liquor interests.
Our experience should have warned
us by this time that We must stand
together and fight our own battles in
future independent of the liquor in
terestS. in order to regain and uphold
the dignity of our business.
by an educational campaign in
favor of our product the people would
soon be ripe for a law TO consider
beer a food and necessity for the
good and health of the public and not
subject to taxation.
"A campaign of publicity SHOULD be
an active and aggressive one.
The brewer should stand for tenn
perance in drinking and IN other
things, people should learn to drink
as openly as they eat. and let it be a
normal, natural thing, causing no
more comment than eating, Such q
policy involves departure from The
course heretofore generally pursued
by brewers, but ii is evident that the
old policy was not successful"
The makers of drink have seldom
given utterance to a more startling
confession of the appetite-creating
principle of beer than the following,
which is said to have been one of the
key-notes of the brewers convention:
TT IS MORE IMPORTANT AND
MORE DESIRABLE THAT ALL THE
PEOPLE SHOULD DRINK BEER
THAN THAT PEOPLE SHOULD
DRINK MORE BEER
To educate "all the people to drink
beer, by representing it as temper
ance drink" and liquid food" to
appear as law-abiding and prosecuted
citizens, trying TO elevate" the sa-
loon; and at the same time to fight
by all means against every law for
the restriction of their trade-this
seems to be the brewers program.
They must be met by education, agita-
ton and eternal vigilance on the part
Of the forces of righteousness.
- -