The Forrest City times., 1908-05-29
STATEWIDE PROHIBITION
Mn. Jsnriur> Bryas. HsUry ". erady ard other Great Autheririe.
 Inserse Lsczl optien.

 they desired for the consideration q the p1balc. and a a matter of fscr. Se have printed several columns os LeNs matter relating to the orgznlzz- ten cf l1czl Anti-Szloon Lesgoes thrcuEboar the county. and C;her matter favorable e the idea q. prohi- bl-lCn. bg request ard have treated these friends co1rTeolsly ard fairy. Many cf them appreciate tHis coaF- teolsDeSs and are broad minded eEos ssa tc allow us to differ Wi-h them ard still 6@ friends >=me. however. afe not. and are inclined 70 ceus41e tlse paper toI s-aDdinE Clt against pro Aibition We do not tall cat Nirh anytedf a4ea V sleY dc Het think a> Ne dc Hef becaa~e fHey differ sifh s,. nor because the9 fhink prohibition should prevail Every man. woman # CT child La zn inherent Figft = study such questions for him of herself. and form zHd eIpre.> Us CT Ter opinion a 10 Ire 4dvi>zbili1y. praetieaDilitt er desIfabllity ot this CT any other question which affects lie public welfare
 Win aI He ligllts hefote =: witi gear> af practical observation. and socal experience. ~e cannot help but think prohibition a failure and ap- posed = the b@st interests of tfge town. and that the laws now upon our statute books are the test that can he devised and a. good as those Of any state in tie Union.
 II Was not our purpose. however. 10 enter into discussion Of the merits of prohibition in this article. but. having published tie matter offered es by friends Of prohibition. We think | proper to offer few facts in sup port Of o4r own position. and to show that We are in line with some Of the very best authorities on this question
 We noticed in the editorial columns Of the Commercial Appeal a few days ago. the following references 10 and quotations from, Wm. Jennings Bryan. perhaps the greatest commoner. and ! most popular man and statesman in the world today:
 Asked about prohibition. lie de clared iiat ii Was not national is- sue. consequently did not concern hin al present. adding however. this sig nihcant remark
 I have never had occasion 10 act l on the prohibition question but once. and that was in 1890. when l voted against state prohibition amend ment and in favor Of the retention Of what k known as the SIoeum law which nXeS minimum license where q license is granted. and allows com munities 10 decide for themselves whether they Will grant d license or not
 It is conceded that Mr Bryan will lead the democratic ranks. Mr. Bryan declares boldly and openly that he ad- Yocates local self-goyernnent and op- poses statewide compulsory prohi- bition.
 From the same source We learn that the great General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. repre- sented by upwards of 750 delegates. al d prolonged session on the 9th inst. in Baltimore put itself on record in favor of local option. onlY nineteen out Of that vast assem blaze of church men. voting for statewide prohibition.
 In commenting gpon thi> action 6i the genera conference, 1.-the Gommer. eial Appeal say, ediiorialy:
 ''The aetionofthe MetAodi~t church dt its genera conference in Balfl. more on the subject Of Ioeal option is in line with The though. of tAe day. Ihe conference comes 10 the position occupied d few wears ago by BiShou HOs~, of Tennessee. as well as To the position occupied by the democratic party in Tennessee.
 A great church has prepared Ihe Nay for the only solution of the iqg0r problem. We have no idea that tle consumption of liqGors vii ever be abolished: and d, no law prohibiting 3 man from drinking could be passed ii k evident in this aS in all other similar matters the consent Of the governed k necessary iaetaF
 We believe that local option i~ fhe limit To which state should e0. This taiIoWs each community tu settle this important question for itself; and does uot allow one town to ~a} that another shall mol settle tHe eue~. ton for itself
 
 But fhe general conference of the Methodist church represents a re- ligious body of 26a. ao0 members. and i now goes on record as occupying the same position that this paper does. 0f course, the church believe, in keeping ap the night against the saloons; but it has evidently come to the conclusion that voluntary proli- bltion k more apt to be lasting and effective than compulsory prohibition. If Atlanta for instance. had of her own yolition gone dry. she would not now have Whiskey and beer pouring into her confines by the daily carload But since prohibition has been forced on her she k in fair way to become the municipal rumsoak par excellence 1 of the Sa48fff ''