Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-01-04
w hlSKEY
EASILY
SHIPPED
Beverages inLeSS Coz
Centrated Forms
Suffer
Interview With Secretary Of
of the Oregon Brewers
Association

} ckebach, secretary of the Brewers
Association of Oregon. when asked
what he knew about the attitude of
the wholesale liquor dealers toward
the local option law, as stated in an
Interview with Alto. 1ey Hammond
of Coos county, the brewers of the
state of Oregon have no personal
grievance against any of the whole
sale liquor dealers of the state
"We have no fight on as against
them or their business. They were
not irresponsible for the passage of the
local option law. and If they now
have come to the conclusion that the
local option law is a benefit to them,
and increases the sale of whiskey
and other strong liquors. they would
be very foolish from business
standpoint, to try to do away with
II.
"The brewing industry recognized
that the local option law would be n
disastrous blow TO the manufacture
of beer in this state. They knew
such would be the effect. for they
had the example of other states be-
fore them. II has ever followed that
where local option forced prohibition
into effect in any county or precinct,
the sale of beer was almost totally
destroyed, while the sale of whiskey
was materially increased. Beer is
too bulky to ship. Everybody recog-
nizes II when It Is shipped to a dry
district, and publicity in all such
cases is the thing that the pur-
chasers wish TO avoid.
"Whiskey can, as every one
knows, be shipped in small packages.
The dry districts have everywhere
been flooded with circulars. sent out
by tho wholesale dealers OF Port
land and outside cities, quoting
prices and soliciting orders. The
trade resulting therefrom has even
astonished those engaged in the whis-
key business. Their returns are even
greater than before local option was
passed, and none of them being I'm
the business on account OF philan-
thropic motives, thoy certainly can
not be blamed for not desiring 10 dis
turb the local option law.
1T has always beon thus. Prohi-
bition and the increased sales of
whlskey go hand in hand. They are
apparently strange bed fellows. yet
have always discovered sleeping to-
gether.
"As / stated before. II would be
foolish for the brewers TO blame the
wholesale whiskey dealers for what
they are doing from a business stand
point. The blame. If any, should
rest u9on the shoulders OF those who
ill-advlsedly forced upon our statutes
a law. which In effect works just
contrary to what It's supporters In
tended. We are today confronted
with the following conditions:
Minors can get all the whiskey
they wish. and no one can control
the sale or punish any person for
the law.
The legitimate and responsible sa-
has been put out of bust
ness, and more whiskey and other |
strong alcoholic drinks are sold than
ever before. The mail order ship
ments, drug stores and blind pigs
do the business.
There Is as much. II not more
the cities and counties
are minus the former revenues. and (
still are compelled TO keep up the
same expense as 20 police protection,
stc. The only difference is that this
expense comes out OF the pockets OF
he common taxpayer, instead OF out
1f the liquor business. The moral
OF every community Is
illed and contaminated with hy-
,ocricy. law-breaking and insinceri-
y. The enforcement OF laws be-
zones a farce. and the respect for
aw a Joke and by-word
"Of course. In time, the dear peo-
lie will come TO realize that a mis-
axe has been made. but, in the
Meantime, the brewers who have sew
raj million dollars in permanent i'm
will have to grin and
'ear II"
---~--O---
The RiOhf Name.