St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1908-05-22
THE MASK TORN Off.
Hired Superintendent Of ire
form" League lets the cat
out of the Bag.

To the Editor: The Rev. ]. X.
Knodell of Portland, one Of the
many salaried "superintendents'
of the Anti-Saloon League, stated
the other day that the local option
elections this year were only pre-
liminary skirmishes. He said that
the real idea was to obtain prohibi-
ton for the entire state of Oregon
in 1910, two years from now. That
lets the cat out of the bag.
The people were assured four
years ago that the local option law
was merely intended to protect res
idence districts against the en-
croachment of the saloon.
1--WE are not prohibitionists, :"
cried the supporters of the bill.
1--WE are only local optionists. J"
To those who claimed that the
local option law was merely prohi-
bition in disguise, its supporters
presented an unbroken front. When
taxed with the fact that their law
was unfair they replied by asking
the public to read it. As the law
was 2s pages in length the public
would not bother itself by making
more careful investigation.
When they were confronted with
the fact that states and commun.
tiles which adopted prohibition
grew poor and lean. they said II
was not so. When they were
shown that the United States cen
sus proved that only three states
in the Union had ever decreased IN
population, and that two Of them
were prohibition states, they said,
"Do not worry. This is only
local option law. We are not In
favor of prohibition"
When this same crowd Of sal
aried agitators was asked II taxes
were not generally higher in prohi-
bition communities than in COM
munities which handled the liquor
business under the license system,
they were quick to answer: 1T is
not so, but even IL II were, ii does
not matter, for this Is local option
not prohibition"
And now the cat is out of the
bag. They are not local optionists.
They are prohibitionists after all.
The opponents Of the local option
law were right. II really was pro.
hibition in disguise. And the
scheme Of the smart attorneys, lee.
turers and orators. who make a fat
living out Of this prohibition agita
tion, is quite plain. The scheme
Is to start in quietly; to hold cleo
tions in precincts in which there
are no saloons, never were any sa-
looms aud probably never would be
any saloons. Such precincts being
frightened with the absurd ques-
tion, do you want a saloon next
your homer were easily put In the
dry column. Then by adding each
year to the dry territory acquired
In this way, they have finally
reached that state of arrogance in
which they have thrown aside the
mask aud boldly declared for state
prohibition two years from now.
Voters have been fooled with this
kind Of fraudulent election long
enough.
Prohibition accomplishes nothing
for real temperance or for morality. |
Bankruptcy does follow prohibition
aud the United States census re-
ports prove this beyond a doubt.
Here and there prohibition orator
may find prohibition town or
small community which has been
airly prosperous even In spite of
prohibition. There are exceptions
o all rules, but government figures
which do not lie, prove that prohi.
'ition is not only a mark OF a stag
Iant community, but is a blight to
prosperous one.
Prohibition in Oregon would
ause 25oo buildings to become va
ant and would throw out of en-
'loyment oooo men and deprive
600 families of their livelihood.
Where is the prosperity in thisl
remember a vote for local option I
ow is a vote for prohibition in ,