Arizona republican., 1908-05-02
PROHIBITIONS tFFECT
 IN A COLLEGE TOWN
Some Facts Gathered by United
 States Revenue Inspector.
To the Editor of The Republican:

To the Editor of The Republican:
 Sir:-Though a stranger In your midst, have been much interested in your local fight for wet or dry" 1 Kentucky is my nativity, and al- i though it is the greatest producer of good whiskey among the states of the Union, my town, a college town. voted dry, and as a consequence many blind pigs" were established which were pat rOniZed by the college boys These blind pigs were run by the most dis reputable people of the tOwn-negrOes and poor white trash" I happened to know of the places as I was a U. $. revenue officer and my duty was to visit the places where United States licenses had been issued. These peo- pie evaded the local law, but were afraid to attempt an evasion Os the United States law, as thev were too easily traced. The United States law required all distillers and wholesale dealers to keep a record of their sales. the name and address of each custo- met, so it was an easy matter to find out whether their customers held United States license.
 In my native town there were three United States licenses issued to ille- gitimate dealers after it voted dry" to one when the saloons were open. This is one of the results of local op- tion
 ! remember well a discussion be- tween a minister and a gentleman who had a large vineyard and made Catawba wine there. The minister told In sho vile stuff, which sent men to hell and made widows and orphans, etc.
 To which the wine man replied:
 ''I presume you get your ideas from the bihle?"
 Yes"
 "Now. was not Paul the wisest man and did he not say Take a little wine for the stomach's sake?'"
 Yes"
 Did not Christ change water into wine to add to the levity of the occa- sion. and could he not have changed wine into water and have shown a miracle just as well, and instead of adding to the levity of the occasion, advised all to drink only water"
 Yes
 Now then, my dear minister, you are setting yourself up to be wiser than Paul and better than Jesus Christ. You can't show me a place in the bible where a man was ever commanded to drink water, or where a man ever wanted water except one pOoor fellow in hell. and he only wanted drop"
 Prohibition does not prohibit; il opens up the rottenest dives. which are a disgrace to any community. The minister and the churchgoer may not come in contact with them. but they exist. They do not pass them on their daily walk as they do the saloons but they are a part, and a large part, of your reformed civilization. If your boy is influenced to take a drink. which would you prefer? That he go into a saloon or into dive run by vile men and lewd women?
 Temperance in all things is advisa- | ble. and when We stop to think, is there not intemperance in other there not intemperance in other things that bring as much or more suffering than the incorporate use of liquor? My idea is. that the saloons should exist, pay a good license. be open. ---'''- no screens to obscure the view. no mu- sic no pool tables or games of any kind should be allowed. no tables or chairs for social drinking unless meals are served. and then make every man who wants to drink take out license. [ and if he is ever caught drunk, take his license away from him; also pro eide a jail sentence for any one selling i liquor of any character to any one not ! having license to drink. i By this means more temperance would be promoted, particularly among those who drink quietly at home and pose as saints before the public. Let | the list. of those holding licenses to drink be always open to public inspec- ! ton.
 ! A KENTUCKY TEMPERANCE MAN.