The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-12-04
WATCEMAN! WHAT OF THE
NIGHT?
(By Mrs. Helen J. AndruSs. J

much talk among good people about
Temperance Cranks' as We used to
hear. Temper nee reform is ''in the
air. and as We look at the map and
see not State without some Prohi-
bition law, we know that the eonse,
one-half the area and more than one
third the population Of these United
States are under some form Of Prohi-
bition law, We know tha the conse-
Grated efforts of those who have la
bored so long and so faithfully in the
cause have not gone for naught.
The watchman upon the tower
looks out upon seven free States, one
of which, Oklahoma, was born free;
and in answer to the old cry, "Prc-
hibition won't prohibit" the watch
man makes reply, "Of course it won't
neither will an axe cut. It takes a
man behind an axe to make it cut, and
it takes man behind a law to make
it work. -
But given a law and honest officials,
and an educated and determined pub
lie opinion back Of them, and it is
bound to work.
Do You happen to know that the
Prohibition State Of Maine leads the
world in the number Of homes owned
by the people who live in them, and
that it has III proportion to its popu-
lacion more schools. more money III
the banks and fewer men in the poor
house and jail than any State in the
Union?
Before Georgia became Prohibition,
people predicted ':ruin,'' empty store
buildings, ''business dead," etc.
Well, in Atlanta, a city Of 100000
population, l75 saloons were closed
by law Oh January I, 1908. Within
thirty days all Of these buildings We're
rented for clothing stores, furniture
stores, grocery stores, etc., and the
city jail was empty for the first time
since it was built. This s5orv is re-
peated all over the State, and in ev-
cry State where the laws are being
fairly enforced.
The watchman looks out upon the
news-stands and what does ne see!
First Of all, that many Of our leading
papers and periodicals are refusing to
advertise liquors and patent medl-
cine. This is the stand taken by "Me-
Clure's," "Munsey's," "Collier's
Weekly" "The Ladies' Home Jour-
nal," 'The Century, " 'The Satur-
day Evening Post, " and, in fact, thir-
ty-five out of fifty representative
magazines state that they refuse all
advertisements Of alcoholic liquors,
including beer. Seven Of these will
not advertise cigarettes. In the cur
rent numbers of many of the magazin-
es are leading articles by some Of OIL
foremost writer's Upon the Temper
anee situation pro and con. In "Col-
ler's' is running a remarkable SER
les Of articles upon the American sa-
loon, while in the Cosmopolitan"
for May one Of the big brewers ar
gued against Prohibition, and the
Of the National Temperance
Society had a strong message for ab-
solute Prohibition. So the war wages.
It is on every hand. Even the big
New York Dailies, so long buried in
silence, have opened their
columns, and are telling the story,
while the attempts Of the liquor men
to muzzle the daily press are being
emphatically resented.
The watchman looks out upon the
social life-and while it is true that
the wine glass is greatly in evidence
and oftimes to a heart-breaking ex-
tent, still here and there 10 i cheer
ed by the sight Of notable functions
where wine is not served At =, re-
cent banquet given to the retiring
governor Of a Southern State, 800
men, politicians, statesmen, "Ma-
jors' and "Colonels" sat down to
wineless feast.
Drinking healths in wine is receiv-
ing condemnation in high places, and
so, slowly but surely, the leaven is
working.
The watchman looks out over the
business world. Year by year the
lines are being closer drawn, until to-
day it is estimated over 100000 OF
the best business positions are closed i
to all but total abstainers. The Unit