Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-10-30
EXIT THE SALOON


Judged by the result of the prohi-
bition election in jefferson county,
Alabama on Monday, that state will
join Georgia in outlawing the whis-
key business. Birmingham, which is
the largest city in Alabama, went for
the "wets" by a narrow margin, but
the other districts completely buried
the hopes of the 'antis."
In Mississippi the capital of the
state is dry" and there are only a
few places where liquor can be legally
sold So it is not unreasonable to
believe that Vardaman's baliwick may
soon catch the step with Georgia and
Alabama Florida also is campaign
ing against the saloon with vigor, Gov.
Broward being the leader. South
Carolina has repudiated the dispensary
and in only a few places is the saloon
allowed. Tennessee only allows whis-
key sold in three cities and one town.
Texas is largely dry, as is Kentucky.
And so it goes.
But the South is not alone is the
prohibition wave. Delaware will vote
on the question of state prohibition
soon and unless signs fail the saloon
will be wiped out. Pennsylvania is
also making a strong fight against the
saloon, and in other states the move
ment is spreading.
Undoubtedly the trend of public
opinion over the country is against
the saloon and the achievements in
Georgia have added such fuel to the
flames that prohibitionists every
where have become more aggressive
Two causes might be mentioned as
having contributed largely to this
result First Of these is the lawless-
ness of the saloon keepers-not all,
but enough to give the business a bad
name with the people Sunday selling
and a disregard of other restrictions
have Infatuated the people and in
their wrath they are moving down the
saloons in a hurry.
Another cause for the feeling
against the liquor traffic is the effects
on the negro, both morally and ply
sically. To those who live in those
counties where the white population
is small, negro infamed with liquor
is the embodiment of all that is evil
and dreaded. The effect of drinking
upon the labor problem, both as re-
CARDS the white and colored laborer is
another strong link in the chain Rail
roads and large corporations have
put their seal of disapproval upon the
drink habit. In addition to this,
the temperance people for nearly half
a century have fought the liquor ira
ffic on moral grounds and this has
brought forth fruit to be added to the
more recent developments in the
fight.
Voters are asking themselves what
good the saloon is, after all. Very
little of the money which passes over
the counters goes to labor and the re-
turns received by the customer, in
stead of Strengthening him for more
efficient work, render him less fit for
labor.
But when a huge wave is rolled in
from the sea it is not necessary to
make a study of the moon and the
tides. It's a condition which is to be
discussed.
Mason & Dixon's line is taking on
new significance, for it looks as
if the states to the south of the line
will make the first unanimous decis-
ion to drive out the liquor traffic, and
apparently the movement will sweep
across the line and state by state ring
the doom of the licensed the whiskey
traffic.
"And the South shall lead them"