Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-30

reason why another man, morally
strong and man to whom the use OF
liquor does not prove harmful because
of his ability to discharge his respon
Isibility in it's use, should be deprived
of the right to buy and use the bev,
lerage.
Church Man Talks.
Rev. w. A. WATSON, in his brief ad,
dress preceding that of Mr.. Rose,
spoke along the line of the personal
responsibility element entering into
the liquor question, and in the course
of his remarks he made extensive ref;
ference to experiences in the east
which have come under his. obserya-
ton. He held that i'm his opinion pro-
hibition has failed to accomplish its
purpose as means of raising the
moral conditions, reducing crime, re-
|ducing taxes, ard bringing greater
prosperity. He held it to be imprac-
ticai in it's workings as now applied,
and maintained that other methods of
control of the liquor traffic have prov
ed much more satisfactory.
The Last Analysis.
The theme of Mr.. Roses address
was that prohibition does not reach to
the real question, and that the last
analysis of the problem will show that
the sin, if there be any in the liquor
business, rests not with the man who
produced the raw material for alco-
holic drinks-the farmer-nor with
the manufacturer, nor the jobber, nor
the retailer in the saloon nor the drug
store.
He pointed this out by assuming
that two men go to the bar of sa-
loon and each buys a pint of whisky.
The first states that he wishes it for
mechanical purposes, but instead of
employing it for mechanical or medic
inal purposes, he drinks it and be-
comes intoxicated. The other man
makes no statement, and it is assum,
ed that he proposes to use the liquor
as a. beverage. But instead he leaves
the saloon and employs the whisky in
a mechanical way IF the dealer who
sold the whisky is criminal in the
first instance, is he in the second, and
wherein in either case is he RESPONSE
ble?" inquired Mr.. Rose. From this,
he pointed the conclusion that the
wrong, if there be any. is entirely with
the man who buys, and the use he
puts the liquor to.
Church and Prohibition.
Mr.. Rose took occasion to make
some little reference to the growth of
the idea that the church and prohibit
ton are hand in hand and the one Is
essential to the other He declared
that the preacher who seeks to invoke
the strong arm of the law to get men
in line with his principles and beliefs,
is acting directly in opposition to the
teachings of Christ, who frowned on
such agencies for the accomplishment
|of good.
Question Practical One.
He held the entire question to be a
practical one, and to be "How Best to
Deal with the LiquoP Tfaffic2" He enl-
phatically declared prohibition to be the
worst and most unsuccessful method
He then took up the purposes and aims
of prohibition, arguing that this metn
cd has brought neither reduction OF
crime, lower taxes, nor greater pros
perity.
From this, his talk gradually drifted
to Kansas City, Kan, and to the state
ments made by c. w. Trickett, assist
ant attorney general of Kansas, who
was instrumental in closing the sa
looms in Kansas City, Kan.
COntradicts Trickett.
Mr.. Rose almost in toto contradictet
the statements of Mr.. Trickett mad;
at the theater Thursday evening il
his address under the auspices of the
Local Option league. He cited part
of Mr.. Trickett's talk from typewrit
ten copy of his address, and declared
| them to be untrue.
He went back to the history of pro
| hibition in Kansas, which nominall
existed for 25 years before Kansa
City saloons were closed. Me CAV,
| StdllStlCS W SuON TIE STOWlI dIlu Ut
velopment of the city during the peri
| cd when the saloons were conducted
and of its growth in population ant
manufacturing and commercial inter
estss
/ MIR. Rose, with the explanation tina
former Mayor Rose is no relative o
his, gave sketch of the political his
tory of the city following the activit
of Mr.. Trickett against the saloon
He showed that Mayor Rose was re
elected by a greater majority than be
fore when pursued by the assistan
attorney general, and that of the tire
candidates. the man who ran on
water" platform received bare 10
votes.
After Mayor Rose resigned, he wa
Nominated third time, and, accordin
to Mr.. Rose, he was defeated throug
la shrewd but dishonest spc.itics
scheme of the attorney general an
Mr. Trickett. He claimed that the a
torney general went to Kansas Cit