The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-28
Three States Go Dry Next
Week and Agitation Is
Strong In Others
TEXAS AND ARKANSAS
TACKLE The SUBJECT
Serious Problems Are Faced In Sew
eral States Where County and Mt
nicipaI Treasures Are Short
From Prohibition.

Washington. December N.-Prohibition
in the south has advanced to stage that
has already assumed the proportions of
a vital political issue in many states.
That it has been accepted as a problem
of great magnitude is an established fact,
reports showing beyond question the un-
precedented growth of sentiment against
the saloon, and its kindred evils. More
than half the territory of the south is
dry absolutely, due to the unrelenting
activity of anti-saloon forces; and in a
great part of the territory listed as ''wet'
the sale of intoxicants is restricted to a
small area In these states. where state
wide prohibition will not become opera
tive the will of the majority in local option
elections has so restricted the sale of
liquor that the only strongholds left to
the saloons are in the larger cities. Geor-
gia is now experimenting near pro-
hibition." On January l statewide prohi-
bition laws Will become operative in North
Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama. The
anti-saloon adherents have lined up for
determined fight for statewide prohbi-
tion in Tennessee, In Louisiana the tenn
perance advocates are, awaiting a test of
the efficiency of a new law for the reg
ulation of the liquor traffic. Most of the
territory in the other states of the south
has been transformed into a dry area
and in &. few of the states, notably Texas
and Arkansas, the voters will soon be
called upon to decide the issue of state
1F
the prohibitionists are hesitating between
an attack on the larger cities, wherein the
saloons have triumphed, and fight for a
statewide law. The results of prohibition
generally are indicated by reports show
ing a decrease in arrests for drunken
ness, an increase in the bank deposits of
laborers. fewer cases of wife abandon
ment, and a decrease in criminality gener-
ally. The difficulty of enforcing the pro-
hibtion laws has proved one of the OBJ
stacles to the success of the law in some
states. serious problem has also grown
out of the deficit In county and municipal
treasures through the loss of the whisky
tax, together with the Illicit sale of intox-
icants in various ways that defy prosecu-
tion.
Georgia.
Georgia has had prohibition for one
year and the eyes of the country have
been focused on that state studying the
results Georgia is supposed to have alb
solute prohibition. What Georgia has,
however, is near prohibition" When the
legislature compromised on the present
law, it attempted to please both sides in
vinous or distilled liquors containing more
than per cent alcohol. The law does
not forbid their manufacture. As nearly
all beers contain only 31a 3% per cent
alcohol, the sale of malt and brewed bev-
ereges continues. They sold as NEAR
beers" and a license of $500 is collected.
Although the sale of liquor was inter-
dicted, 1t goes on illegally to a limited ex-
tent. Despite this condition 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 ar
rests for drunkenness decreased 60 per
cent, and decrease of 80 per cent in the
total number of police cases. Reports
bearing practically the same average in
small towns and villages In most COM
munities of the state beer is now sold but
men cannot obtain alcohol except by ship
ment from points outside the state. OF
course the bling tiger fiourishes now and
then but as a rule the police are ag-
gressive and vigilant In the detection of
such places. The charitable institutions
report falling Off In cases of destitution,
wife beating and abandonment. The
banks report that there never was a time
when so many laborfng men carried bank
accounts, or when the accounts were so
large. In one thing only has there been
no improvement. The divorce docket is as
heavy as ever. 4.
North Carolina.
North Carolina by majority of 10000
votes last May adopted statewide prohibi-
tion, and the statutory law goes into ef-
feet January l. 1t prohibits absolutely
the sale or manufacture of any intoxicat-
ing liquors. This law is the elimination
of the prohibition agitation in the state
since 1881. The only loophole In the
statute is section permitting the man
ufacture Of wines and elders from grapes.
fruits or berries, which can be sold at
the place of manufacture, and then only
in sealed packages, containing not less
than two and a half gallons
Prohibition legislation dates from 1903,
when law was enacted forcing the dis
tilleries into Incorporated towns, and
granting to the counties the right to vote
on the question of license every two
years. Then followed legislation prohi-
biting the shipment of liquors from wet