The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-28
PROHIBITION
 OVER SOUTH Remarkable Effect of the Wave. LIQUOR TERRITORY IS SMALL Prohibition Is Now a Political
 Issue. The Liquor Msn Are GensraiIy Forti- fled Against Attack onIy In
 The Larger southsrn
 Cities.
LIQUOR TERRITORY IS SMALL

Washington. Dec. s7--A wave of prohibition has swept with such re- marlabie effect over the south ana sentiment has so crystalized against the saloon and it's kindred evils. that the dawn of the new year opens upon a vast stretch of territory absolutely bereft of liquor. while the area where anti-prohibitlonists have trtumphed. marks the battle ground for fmpend- ing fights for and against the sale of intoxicarts.
 Significant of the magnitude this problem has assumed iss the fact that in many states prohibition looms up as a political issue of chief concern to the voters. obseurfng other municipal and state questions. Other states have disposed of the iaxne temporarily at leaet, byt the passage of statutory laws. whose efficiency must yet De tested. In still other states, the will of the majority expressed at local option elections has restricted the sale of liquor to the larger cities whore the liquor men generally are fortified against attack from the temperance folk.
 Reports reflecting accurately tho political stage of the prohibition move ment fin the South show that more than half the South's territory is dry absolutely and that in the remaining area. listed as "wet'' the sale of in- toxicants Is upon restricted scale. It is evident that the cities are the only remaining stronghoids for the saloons and it ls unlikely that this condition will be modified. except through radical change in political thought, through failure to enforce the laws against the liquor traffic, failure Go solve the problem growing out of de- flcits in county, municipal and state tFeasuries from a loss of tho whislkey tax, or inability to cope with the Illicit sale of whiskey and perhaps other ob- staoles which follow in the wake of prohibition.
 Hais 1a Terrstory Dry.
 More than half the territory og the south is "dry" absolutely. due to the unrelenting activity of mnti-saloon forces and in a great part of th0l territory listed as wet" the sale of intoxicants Is restricted to a small area.
 In these States where Statewide prohibition will not become operative fhe will of the majority in local op- ton elections. has 80 restricted the sale of liquor. that the only strong holds left to the saloons arc in the larger cities. Georgia is now expe- rimenting on near prohibition
 On January l Statewide prohibition lava will become operative in North Carolina. Mississippi and Alabama The anti-saloon adherents have lined up for determined fight for state wide prohibition in Tennessee In Louisiana the temperance advocates arc awaiting a test of the efficiency of a new law for the regulation of the liquor trafiic.
 Most of the territory in ths other States of the South has been trans formed into a dry" area and m a few of the States, notably Texas and Arkansas. the voters will soon be called upon to decide the issue of state wide prohibition.
 Tn a few of the States the prcli- bitionists are hesitating between an attack on the larger cities. wherein the saloons have triumphed, and . fight for Q Statewide law.
 The results of prohibition generally are indicated. by reports showing decrease in arrests for drunkennass an increase in the bank deposits of Iaborers, fewer eases of wife ahan- donmsut, and a decrease in crtmanai- ity generally. The dlfnculty of ar- forcing the prohibition jaws has prev cd one og the obstacles to the succosa Of the law in some Stgtes. A seri- ous problem has also grown out of the de6cit in county and municipal trean- uries through the loss of the whiskey tax, together with the Illicit sale of intoxicants in various ways that defy prosecution.
 Near PrSblbisass.
 Georgia has had prohibitiou for one wear. and the eyes of the country have been focused on that state studying tls results. Georgia is supposed tO have absolute prohibition. What Geor- gia has. however, tE near prohibi- tion'
 "The presens Jaw forblds the man. ufacture. sale. barter. keeping or fur nishinK at public places of hquors. bitters or other drinks which will tn- toXtcate.
 '. Under this law the sale of near beer has grown common in Atlanta. a u- cense of $500 being collected. It is not agreed what constitutes near beer" although in the courts for nearly a year have not reached Anas decisions. Various opinions have been given putting the limit on thee@ bow erages at two to four per cent. of alcohol.
 Although the sale of liquor was in- terdieted, 1t goes on illegally 10 limited extent. Despite this cond' tion no one can reasonably deny that prohibition has brought good to the state. AS compared with the previous year. the police records of Atlanta show that the number Of arrests for drunkenness decreased sixty-two per cent, and a decrease of thirty-nine per cent. in the total number of police eaaes. Reports bearing practically the same averages in decrease of crimi- nality, come in from the small towns and villages.
 In most communities of the Sta beer is now soi1 but men cannot ChH tain alcohol except b. shiF'nent from points outside the state. Of course the blind tiger lourishss now and thcn but as a rue th4 po''ee are Rg- erCsSsVa and vig.'an in the detectiaa of seCh places. The charitable inssi- trt'oEs report a fsiliny or in cases of dc stitution. wife bestInse and aban- donu,el t. The banks report that theis never was a time when So many ia- boring men carried hank accounts. or when the accounts were SO large. Tn a