Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-08-13
Revenues and Right.

thern Ohio by the liquor men as
campaign documents. Some of
them give the alleged opinions of
prominent physicians and food
specialists as to the value of alco-
hol as a food. Others give state
ments credited to public officials
as to the failure OF prohibition, all
of which have been repudiated by
the persons named. Others are
quotations from ministers or edu-
Gators espousing the liquor side.
These are generally fakes. Others
are quotations from religious pa
pers which are twisted to suit the
liquor interests. Among the latter
is one from III paper, to which
u attention was called some time
ago, and the conclusions of which
we promptly repudiated, but which
we are now assured is being wide
ly circulated as an anti-prohibi-
ton argument. 1t quotes from US
a simple news item which has
gone the rounds of the press, and
is undoubtedly correct, to the eff
feet that with so much of Kentuc-
ky going dry, the state feels the
loss of revenue, and adds its COM
ment as follows:
Nothing could more pointedly
illustrate the evil effects of the
present fanatical deluge of ill con-
sidered and uuwise local option
laws. There is not really a dry
town or dry county in Kentucky.
In all the so called dry spots in
Kentucky vile liquor is supplied
by "speak-e asies" and "boot-leg-
gers" But the State is getting no
license revenue; hence the above
mentioned unfortunate conditions.
We have no doubt the item as
we printed it was correct, but this
conclusion of the liquor advocates
is not correct. We welcome the
news that the revenue from liquor
license has been reduced by the
shutting up of saloons and conse-
quent loss of taxes. So are Illi-
nois revenues, and the revenues of
other States. If all the saloons
were shut up, the loss would be
still greater; but what of it? The
gain would be greater than the
loss. The liquor business costs
the country in actual cash many
times what it pays in taxes. What
it costs in the demoraliztion of
society, the wreck of character,
the destruction of drunkards can
not be estimated with money.
AS for the ''speak-easies, boot
leggers," etc., of course there will
always be some one to violate the
law. The claim that these take
the place of and equal the open
saloons as an agent for saloons is
absurd. We know a town which
had twenty-seven saloons. They
were voted out, and now there are
three, possible four speak-easies.
They work in the dark. Only a
few people know where they are.
The old topers patronize them.
They are no temptation to the
great mass of people. They prob
ably do not altogether sell as
much liquor as one open saloon.
However it is a part of the prohi-
bition and anti-saloon policy not
only to close the saloons, but to
tight the speak-easies, and this
fight must be made in every dry
section.
The sending out of such leaflets
by the liquor advocates is a for
lorn hope. The temperance senti-
ment is increasing and will in
crease. The people are being ed
ucated. They see through such
efforts. They have read many of
the statements of these leaflets be-
fore and have also read their refu.
tation. The revenue argument
has lost its power. Talk of the
STOOD value of alcohol" only raises
a smile. The claim that prohibi-
ton is a failure and that more H.
quor is sold by speak-easies than
would be sold by open saloons is
manifestly silly. Quotations from
religious papers or ministers with
conclusions contrary to their we'll
known positions will not long de-
ceive any except those who are
willing TO be deceived. The whole
package of leaflets taken together
shows nothing except that the IL
quor men are tremendously alarm
ed. We believe they have reason
to be.-Erchange.
What a New Jersey Editor Says.
M. IT. Lynch aditor ~ tbo l.