The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-07-03

- II = \ !. !. = 4. Z. i. ). !. j. !. j. J.
(Articles under this heading !
+ are nearly all contributed in :;
+ response to our invitation to /
+ the public to discuss the SUBJ !
r Ject with the view of helping /
+ to solve the liquor problem, /
+ rather than keep up an argu- i
+ ment. Some of the writer's are !
+ willing their names should be i
+ used with their articles, while /
+ others prefer that they should /
+ not-not because they are i
+ ashamed of their views, but be- /
+ cause they do not care to be i
+ in the lime light.-Editor.) i
81 + i. i. i. + !. !. \ i. i. Il !. j. i !.
A paper read on the Practicable
ity of Statewide Prohibition" by
Mrs. Emmett d. Nichols of Boise, by
request before the annual meeting of
the Mothers Congress of Boise on
May %, 1908.
The opponents of statewide pro-
hibition as the next measure to work
for in temperance legislation take
the position, first, that Idaho should
not be classed with other states that
have come into the promised land of
prohibition through the wilderness of
local option, being in advance of said
states in the present statutory pro-
lection it affords from saloon domi-
nation through council prohibition
and the discretionary power vested
In her county commissioners.
Working for local option with
such protection already provided
seems to us illogical, and not in keep
ing with the forward spirit of the
century.
From an economic standpoint we
feel that our position is tenable.
Time, energy and money are being
used to bring results that have prac-
tically already been attained.
Every state that has passed
through the experiences of local OPP
ton has learned that prohibition
cannot have fair test while liquor
is sold in certain cities therein.
Through the sentiment of local self
government, which is so ardently ad-
vanced alike by friends of whisky
and perhaps well meaning friends of
temperance, some little spot reserves
the right to sell, under the personal
liberty granted. Such centers, with
out exception supply through under
ground methods the means that
serve to thwart the wishes of local
tiles that vote to be free. 1t is many
years since a Lincoln declared that
the nation could not exist half slave
and half free. We, as temperance
workers have been slow to learn that
the same sentiment applies to the
rum slave trade, and that state can
not exist half drunk and half sober;
but today, thank God, there is a pro-
gressive sentiment abroad that has
>rse u the signal gun of no COM
promise; ana this same sentiment
will be satisfied with nothing less
than overwhelming and everlasting
Suppression of the rum fiend, through
prohibition.
Prohibitory law is useful in those
communities where sentiment is in
favor of Intoxicating liquors just as
health laws are useful in commun-
ity where sentiment would favor
open cess pools, tainted meat and
rotten fruit. We would unanimous
ly denounce the board of health that
would give the smallpox infected dis
triet of a city option as to propagat-
ing the disease germ.
Another pertinent objection to a
local option measure lies in the fact
that when obtained it delays, for
many years, the day of state prohi-
bition Politicians use it as club
to kill stronger measure and justify
their positions by the assertion that
1t has not been fully tested. Since
several local option kittens have al
ready met an ignominous leath at
the hands of our lawmakers of the
past, progressive and aggressive SEN
timent would suggest a change of