Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-09

Especial Washington Correspondence of
The Argus.)
In the October Review of Reviews
appears an article by the Wash
ington correspondent of the Atlanta
Constitution, putting for the first time
into complete form the record of the
spread of prohibition, local or state,
throughout the south. The article is
TOO long to summarize. but it is well
worth the careful attention of the peo-
pie who still cling to the old concep-
ton of the south as the home of the
toddy and the julep. AS matter Of
fact, by far the greater part of the
south is now under stringent prohibi-
tory laws. Under local option 80 per
now dry, and prominent editor in
Richmond told me there only a few
weeks ago that that city would be car
ried for prohibition if the matter were
brought to a yote-something that l do
not believe could be said for any city
of equal size in the north. The polit-
ical foundations of Senator Tillman'S
eminence were laid upon his dispen-
sary system in South Carolina, but
only recently the governor of that state
told me that the dispensaries would
have to go, not because they regulated
too strictly the sale of liquor, but be-
cause complete prohibition was de
manded by the people. The greater
part of Texas is dry" under local op-
ton, and the editor of one of the most
prominent newspapers in that state
told me that the time is near at hand
when it will have state prohibition
Meantime its lawmakers amuse them.
selves with such statute as one max
ing it q misdemeanor for man to
take drink on a railroad train, and
only within a week or two the sheriff
of county In another state who un
Willingly committed this offense was
dragged off a train and fined by q
country squire. Georgia of course has
| state prohibition, adopted by vote Sc
large that Governor Hoke Smith. per
sonally disappearing the bill, felt him
| self obliged to sign it. Kentucky
which makes more whisky for the de-
location of its sister states than any
| other commonwealth, permits cts sale
| Moreover, state laws adopted in many
| of the southern communities prohibi
| railroads, under severe penalties. from
| carrying liquors of any sort into loca
option county. This applies only Il
freight originating within the state
but this year a bill in congress will bt
| pressed for national legislation which
shall estop. interstate railroads from
carrying liquors into prohibition states
1t is to be supported by southern con
gressmen, who in this cause seem read,
to forget their ancient state rights con
| victions
The Explanation of This Phenomenon
| Curiously enough, while the south has
made this prodigious advance in the
cause of temperament prohibition
means temperance, which some doub
the north has progressed little, if a
all. Since Maine led off with constitu
| tional prohibition and Kansas follow
| ed there has been an almost entire ces
satiOn of agitation for state temper
ance in the north. Why should til,
south, whose public men are Away
preaching individual liberty and stat,
rights, nave been so ready to wink a
violations of both when the suppression
of the liquor traffic is involved? Her
is the answer as given to me the othe
day by the mayor of cue of the Iarges
cities of Virginia.
Its the negro" said he. 1.-THE RICH
of the negro to vote and his use of hi
vote have kept southern white mel
voting the Democratic ticket for easil,
twenty years after they had come int
sympathy with Republican policies
Now the black men are turning tn
Democratic party of the south into
prohibition party. Every man who ha
lived long in. the south knows that Il
|