Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-02-18
DIVIDED IN
MODE! LEAGUE
Catholic and Episcopal
Bishops See Good in
Whiskey Mems Reform
Plan.
OTHERS SCORN 1T
Some Declare 1t IA SubterfUee
Whereby Saloonists Hope TO Step.
the Tide. OF Prohibition Senti.
OTHERS SCORN IT


The statement made in the issue o.
the Gazette of Saturday morning TO
the effect that e. ]. Hutson, national |
organizer Of the Model License
League. had been in Little Rock MAX !
ing the preliminary steps toward the
organization of a league here has Civ
en- rise to diversity OF opinion as to
the proprety of such move, says
the Arkansas Gazette. A number OF
prominent citizens, who might natu-
rally be supposed to have fixed opin-
| ions on this topic, were interviewed
last night. Bishop W. NJ. Brown Oh
the Arkansas diocese, Episcopal
church, and Bishop John b. Morris OF
the Little Rock Catholic diocese We're
OF The opinion that there might be
some merit in the proposition. Rev
John 7. Christian and Rev I. e.
Sharp We're radically opposed to the
plans OF the league, and Col George
II. ThornburSh. president OF the
Anti Saloon League in this State, was
slnilngly Indifferent as TO what the
league might do. apparently secure
of the success OF the anti move
nent in he end Their expressions
! follow:
Bishop W. VI. Brown Sees coed in 1t.
Bishop Brown expressed himself as
being in favor of some license and
regulation that would greatly reduce
the number OF saloons and improve
| the environments Of the rest He al
so favored a good citizens move
ment," by which saloonkeepers
would be compelled TO observe wise
| laws respecting the kinds and purity
Of their intoxicants and the persons
to whom they were sold. He believ-
| ed that the ultimate solution OF the
great problem of intemperance is to
be looked for along the lines Of
scientific education and moral inilu-
! once He was willing to concede
! that iudicious and enforced legislation
| might be very helpful, but insisted
nevertheless that we cannot legislate
Or force men and women out of the
! gutter Salvation from the great evil
! OF intemperance, he thought, is like
all salvaton--very largely dependent
upon an illuminated and sensitive
conscience, and upon strengthened
will.
Bishop Norris FavOrs High License.
bishop John B. Morris of Little
Rock Catholic diocese, when seen last
might, to get an expression of his
opinion on the proposal of the Model
License League, said:
Il think there is merit in such a
proposition, inasmuch as rigid pro-
hibition is as yet an improved rem
edy, for in the instances where it has
been tried / understand that it has
been repeatedly violated. And to en-
courage violation of the law ] hold
to be a greater evil than that which
it is sought to correct.
personally, l have always advo-
Gated an extremely high license and
segregation of saloons in cities to a
few blocks where they would con-
stantly be under police surveillance.
Then if the keeper of dramshop
should break the regulations govern
ing his trade l say, revoke his Ii
cense for good. / would advocate
such high license for both makers
and sellers Of liquor, thereby Kidding
the country of the great quantities of
bad whiskey which are yearly drunk
by Americans. From my experience
in Italy and in Germany, / found
drunkenness to be very rare, which
in a measure l attribute to the fact
that the people are given to drinking
light wines and beer from infancy.
Although some may deem it too
paternal, would favor the estab-
lishment of government hospitals for
inebriates, where drunkards would
be taken, and if possible cured.
High license, has the advantage
over prohibition, it seems to me, in
that it does not undertake to oppose,
defy and destroy those of our citizens
who are engaged in the making and
selling of alcoholic beverages, but
rather restraints them within the lin
fits of the law. / make this state
ment because l am aware that all
| oil
a controversial stage, and no one can
say what is best until several have
been tried. Too many prohibitory
laws, in my estimation, would en-
courage the violation Of the law. This