The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-07-17
HOW WE PROHIBITIoNIsTs FAIL

There is a great desire on the part
of the temperance people of Idaho
to accomplish something in this cam
paign for the cause of temperance,
and if they pursue their usual tao
tics they will get nothing done that
will count for anything.
They are spending much time pre-
pairing to carry on a campaign work
ing for local option, nothwithstand-
ing they already have form of local
option that is nearly as effective as
what they are preparing to work for.
If they secure the local option plank
and the local option measure in the
legislature, they will be in almost the
same position they are in now. They
will have a law that is ready to be
enforced if there are people willing
to look after its enforcement, and
that is what we have now, though it
puts it up to the county commission
ers and the village boards to act
on petitions of the people.
The good temperance people of the
state worked hard to get this bill en-
acted, and then sat down and waited
+, for 1t to enforce itself; but petitions
do not write themselves, nor go
about getting signed of themselves
nor get presented to county commits
sioners and city councils of them
selves, neither will some other local
option measure be enforced without
people behind 1t to enforce 1t.
Why then, all this preparation to
get something that we already have?
Why not make the move for state
wide prohibition or>proceed to make
our present laws operative? If a
majority of people in a given locality
want prohibition, they can have it
now, for we have that option the on
ly reason for present conditions be-
ing that people do not take up the
option which they have secured.
City councils do not want the OPP
tion acted upon. They want the sa-
loon license to use in paying the po-
lice officer to run in the DRINKS.
County commissioners will take no
action to close saloons in any place
until the people of the locality go
before the board and ask for 1t. 1t
is a simple case; saloon men ask
for the license and tender the money
Nobody objects, and the board have
no occasion to refuse. They are the
servants of the people, and they
serve the only ones who take the
trouble to appear before them.
Politicians will take no lead IL the
move for taking up the option to
make locality dry" nor to secure
statewide prohibition. 1T is unpopu-
lar. That is, 1t Is unpopular among
those who are active in attending
the caucuses, primaries and conven-
tions. and in organizing to control
votes Why make it an issue when
the opposition to 1t will certainly
organize and fight, and the people
favoring 1t will favor 1t but neglect
" to do anything until after the cleo
ton, and then they will simply reg
r lister kick and resolve that in the
next campaign they will organize
and do things-a resolution they will
forget to keep. NE 'w.
Political parties will not work for
temperance for fear of losing the
saloon vote or the Irish vote or the
German vote or some other vote.
They will agree to work for It, and
in one hand hold out to the temper
ance people the white ribbon, but
with the other hand be passing out
the drinks and be telling the other
fellows to stand pat and see how
neatly the thing can be brought al
Iioot W ItS I'dSSd6C uhu ,uVH ultShSu.
That fixes it for two years, and to-
morrow can take care of itself.
Neither political party of this state
will do anything In this campaign
that will avail. II the Republicans
or the Democrats do anything 1t will
be because they are afraid not to-
and they will provide the way to
have 1t fail after election. probably
on It's final passage in the Legislature.
When party is on the defensive,
they can find plenty of means to ac-
complish the desire nearest the heart
OF its members in control.
3, The Prohibition party will not do
anything effective for several reasons.