Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-12
REV. il. VANCE REPLIES TO STATE
MENTS OF ANTI-PROHIBTTION

Rock Island, ILL.,, Feb. 12.-Editor
, The Argus: Considerable valuable
space was taken in your issue of yes
terday by Anti Prohibitionist'' in ex-
pressing his views on the great ques-
ton of the saloon, now coming before
our citizens. Individually | would not
perhaps presume to reply to this ar
ticle, sbut other members OF our COM
mittee feel that some INT IL king read
ers may be influenced even by anony
nous communications, for it is often
thought that a thing must be true if
it is seen in print. Every citizen may
have a right 10 his own views if his
error cannot De proven, but in the in
terests of truth | am compelled to
challenge some OF the facts as stated
by Anti Prohibitionist." What all
Ifair-minded citizens want in this cam
lpaign is the actual facts as to the ad
Vantage or disadvantage of longer con-
tlnuing the liquor traffic even on its
Ipresent legal status, and then full
and free opportunity to declare their
ballots. and to have that judgment
IeXecuted. 1t will likely be worse than
useless tin the coming campaign for
Ieither side 20 resort to misrepresenta-
ton, for surely every lie will be nailed,
las it should be quickly. Facts can be
cited that are up-todate and reliable
Ito disprove amt Prohibitionist's"
LET |, Inn Nnn1
land hopelessly despaired of the even
tually perfect success of prohibition.
And facts can be given to disprove the
statement that prohibition has been
Ian utter failure il, any state or smaller
district in which it has been really
tried
1t is freely admitted that until just
now it has been only a partial sue
cess. because it has only come to the
lpoint when it can be given even an
approximately fair trial. Like any
thing else. to succeed We must have
right conditions, good law, and
strong public sentiment in favor of
that law, and officers of the law who
lare in sympathy with law enforcement
from patriotic principle. None of
these three conditions have been pres
ent heretofore in such measure as
they now exist. Even Christianity
Iseems TO be failure wherever it has
been inadequately or unfavorably
: tested. Of course it is hard to make
a decently sober section in the midst
, of a disgracefully drunken country
81, IL, ~
2 disheartened the apostles Of good citi.
!. Zenship; and it is their partial success
{ and their unlimited promise that ac
, counts for the prohibition wave that
D is now making conquest of our glori
2 Gus land.
/ Mr.. Anti Prohibitionist" tells Ofwha
he has heard and seen in casual visits
to prohibition districts. and intimate:
/ that his observations demonstrated t.
him that prohibition does not prohibit
Il My own home is in a local option coun
7ity in a whisky-riGden state. and l have
a different story to tell. No sane maj
claims that prohibition is automatic
or that under free government we cal
have prohibition unless the peopl
e dc the people want in Rock Island
: saloons or no saloons? I would lill'
e to ask Mr. anti Prohibitionist' tw,
l, questions: Would you like to see tn
II prohibition method of dealing with TIL
% liquor traffic given a full fair trial?
i! has long been ciamOring for this, ant
- never yet has gotten it. Every cor
Ice &C
: mess seems to have been tried: bu
i is very impatient of restrain, as tn
a demonstration in Chicago last Sabbatl
was illustrated. My second question
is: Would you like to see prohibition
succeed whel given a trial?
y | am free to say that | would Xix
al to see it tried and proved, for the goo
OF the individual, the municipality, an
: the commonwealth. 1t would mea
~ the moral. commercial, social, intellet
~ tual and religious transformation c
our people. Mr.. Anti Prohibitionist
- presents an array of statistics, whic
- think fairly shows the whisky bus
- ness as a revenue producer. Does
20 stop to think that this only proves tina
re is unjustly burdened and made to pa
Al too dear for his whistle? And tn
r. great-hosts of unemployed in OF
ot country today would be better off
n there were no saloons now, and LA
rs not been when they had work.
in Finally, read this from Hon. c. v
ur Trickett about Poor Old Kansas"
w Your state Qllinois) is the garde
,r- state of the nation you have a rio
y. soil, you have abundant rains. You
y, state is naturally blessed by Prov
m dence. Out in Kansas one-half of OF
We territory was formerly known as II
". Great American Desert. 1t is the hon
SIT of the cyclone. the grasshOpper, Il
as drought, and the green bug. We a
II only about one-half as old as yol
III great state, but we have had no
u censed saloons for 30 years and "
l. IL