Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-05-28
THE MASK TORN OFF
Salaried "Officials" of the
Anti-Saloon League
Let the Cat Out
of the Bag.

The Rev. j. r. Knodell OF Portland
one Cf the many saaried "superintend
ents" of the Anti-Saloon League, stated
the other day that the local option elec-
tions this year were only preliminary
skirmishes. He said that the real idsa
was to obtain prohibition for the entire
state Of Oregon in 1910, two years from
now. That let's he Cat out of the bag.
The people were assured four years
ago that the local option law was merely
intended to protect residence districts
against the encroachment of the saloon
1--WE are not prohibtionists," cried
the supporters of the bill. "We are
only local optionists." To those who
claimed that the local option law was
merely prohibitio in disguise, its sup
porters presented an unbroken front.
When taxed with the fact that their law
was unfair they replied by asking the
pubic to read it. As the law was 90
pages in length the public would not
bother itself by making more careful
investigation.
When they were confronted with the
fact that states and communities which
adopted prohibition grew poor and lean
they said it was not 30. When they
were shown that the United States cen.
sus proved that only three states in the
Union had ever decreased in population
and that two OF them we're prohibition
states, they said "Do not worry. This
is only local option law. We are not
in favor OF prohibition"
When this same crowd OF salaried agi-
tators was asked ii taxes were not gen.
orally higher in prohibition communi-
ties than in communities which handled
the liquor business under the license
system. they were quick to answer, "It
is not so, but even if it were, it does not
matter. for this IS local option, not pro-
hibtion."
And now the cat is out of the bag.
They are not local optonisNs. They are
prohibtionists after all. The opponents
of the local option law were right. 1t
really was prohibition in disguise. And
the scheme of the smart attorneys, lee
turers and orators, who make a fat liv-
ing out of this prohibition agitation, is
quite plain. The scheme is to start in
quietly to hold elections in precincts
where there are no saloons. NJ yer were
anu oatoops and ,roho hly poyor ,ponld
be any saloons. Such precincts being
frightened with the absurd question,
"Do You want a saloon next your home ?"
were easily put in the dry column,
Then by adding each year to the drv
territory acquired in this way, they have
finally reached that state of arrogance !
in which thev have thrown aside the
mask and boldly declared for state pro-
hibition two years from now. Voters '
have been fooled with this kind of frau '
dulent election long enough. ,
Prohibition accomplishes nothing for '
real temperance or for morality. Bank '
ruptcy does follow prohibition and the G
United States census reports prove this a
eyond a doubt, Here and there a pro.
bibition town or small com rnunity whic!!:: &
has been fairly prosperous even in spite b
OF prohibition. There are exceptions to d
all rules. but government figures, which v
do not lie, prove that prohibition is not Il
only a mark of stagnant community,
but is blight to prosperous one. I
Prohibition in Oregon would cause v
800 buildings to become vacant and il
would throw out of employment 5000 e
nen and deprive 400 families OF their K
livelihood. Where is the prosperity in "
his. n
Remember vote for local option now b
S a vote for prohibition in 1910. o