Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1907-12-27
rho New AntisaIoon Crusade.

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determined women instituted an anti
saloon crusade and carried on the war
IN the most drastic fashion. Even
Carrie Nations tactics were not more
radical than those adopted by some Of
the crusaders IN revolt against the
saloon. At the time Of It there was a
widespread sentiment in the country
against the abuse OF alcohol, but It was
seldom possible to rally in any great
strength at the polls the lovers and
preachers Of temperance. Perhaps the
indifference of that time and since has
resulted from the American love Of
to 80 on record as declaring that they
could not control their appetites or
that their neIghbors were less manly
than themselves. High license and
local option made Roadway where pro-
hibition could not. The one sounded
like a sumptuary law and the other
offered square deal.
Prohibition In this country has from
hHg SAAEh lAAEh lOhLy btoulu. ~ WVulu
prevent the manufacture and exporta-
ton and also the importation of alco-
holic beverages as well as the display
and sale Of the same over the public
bar. In its way this In as radical as
the abolition OF African slavery and
encroaches upon the domain OF per
sonal liberty. For years following the
titanic struggle Of 1861 the radical
temperance people called for Summers
and Phillipses and Llncolns and Grants
and sheFmans to stamp out the new
slavery, but the appeals fell upon dull
ears. Perhaps the nations moral forces
had been exhausted, but It il more
than likely that somehow the case was
different. The great mass Of men who
might have taken the lead and We'd
with the giants OF the war days were
willing to concede tho evil Of the
abuse Of liquor, but were not ready to
80 to the extreme Of declaring that, be-
cause some drinkers went too far,
therefore no man should have a
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has changed, and It is found that In
those very states where the doctrine
OF personal liberty is most jealousy
guarded and the custom Of drinking 9
part Of the very social system prohibit
ton rightly presented carries the day.
However, the prohibition argument
Of today strikes different chord from
what It did thirty or twenty years ago.
Thickness IL everything. and we have
drifted at last to the stage when sa-
loon smashing Is not only tolerated,
but can be made an issue and win II
the smashing Is done in the right way.
Sometimes the crusade takes the form
OF local option, and again, as in Geor-
gia, It goes to the length Of a wide
prohibition. But the count against
the saloon has changed since the wom-
en- OF Ohio roamed the streets In bands
and by main force poured the liquor
into the cutters. Then the idea up
permost was that the saloon tempts
men to drink. and American manhood
said let them drink II they want to-
Now the saloon in many counties and
In many precincts Of great cities and
generally In some states ls convicted
OF fomeuting disorder disorder which
In itself II menace to Individual lib
erty. II was not expedient to press
the doctrine Of prohibition when men
were sensitive over the approach Of
any sumptuary legislation. II is expe-
dent to press prohibition, or what
amounts to the same thing, when the
public sets order and safety above In
dividual convenience and pride. Ameri-
can slavery went down under the Jug
gernaut OF expediency, and It win be
no less revolution, though a peaceful
one. should the saloon share the same
fate. The saloon has been defended
BY pointing to the drinking customs Of
Europe. But there IL now a war on
against alcohol in every country ON the
continent Alcohol is losing ground
over there, The saloon In losing ground
here In les struggle against temperance
legislation. and It win continue losing
ground wherever and whenever It re-
mains menace to public order ana an
Oftense to the public mind,
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