Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-05
WHAT THEY SAY

Editor Tribune: The other evening
a number of business and profession
al men who happened to foregather
were discussing prohibition and the
liquor question with varying opinions
as to it's effect upon the younger
generation. After a number of opin-
lions had been expressed, one of the
gentlemen asked the question:
Us it your business, or mine, what
the sons and daughters of other men
are doing so long as we see that our
own children are kept from these and
other evils?"
| In way, yes" said another of
the men. 1T is to the interest of all
that intemperance be kept within
fproper bounds, but it certainly lis not
my business to take care of other
peoples children
Il hardly think you look at the mat
|, ter in all it's phases" said the ques-
toner. For instance, look about the
city, where you know practically all
| of the young men in general way.
Which of the growing boys of the
city would you like for husband for
your daughter, how many of the boys
would you like to have as candidates
for that honor, it being understood,
OF course, that Bismarck boys are
the peers of any in the country ?
Looking at the matter in this light,
does it not come home to you that
your are interested in other mems
sons and daughters? Your boy may
be soon seeking a wife among the
girls of the city, you know
The thought was new one to those
present and before they separated
they agreed that they did owe re-
sponsibility to all the boys and girls
of the city and that the young of Bis
marck were entitled to all the pro-
lection from possible vicious pitfalls.
1t has always seemed strange to me
the delight some people take in in
!sisiting that evil is stronger than vir-
tue, or, in other words, that it is i'm
possible to curtail certain crimes, all
efforts in that direction proving fail
ures. Right here in Bismarck we have
people who continually say the prohi-
'bition law cannot be enforced. that
the closing of the saloons has result
ed in added drunkenness, and such
rot as that. These same people
would not for a moment advance the
theory that the enforcement of laws
against theft and murder or minor Of
lenses cause an increase in those
crimes.
IT this tendency to condemn efforts
to enforce this law we're confined to
the guzzlers of intoxicants 1T would
not be so bad. But how often do we
hear men well known for their tenn
perance and good citizenship inveigh-
ing against the closing of te pigs and
ridiculing officials whose duty it is to
see that the laws are obeyed. 1t is
not much wonder that the starch is
taken out of officials in the face of
opposition from this latter source.
] have paid some little attention to
conditions since the pigs Of this city
have been forced to abandon open
selling for :bootlegging and | find
there is great falling off in the num-
Der of drinking young men and the
frequency with which others get
drunk. There is more than enough of
drunkenness. it is true, but an anal
ysis Of the DRINKS themselves shows
that they are the fellows that have
been engaged in this laudable enter
prise for several years past and that
few novices, as compared to a year
ago, are found among the number.
With an industry worthy of better
cause these regulars have worked
WEI tiiu0 III OTuer TO demonstrate
that prohibition does not prohibit
This bunch of enthusiasts is not large
but, like the few frogs in the puddle
they make heap or noise, in their
own salacious way.
But whether prohibition prohibit:
Tor not, no one will deny that the
streets now are much safer at night
for a lady to pass along without be
ling degraded by the ribald talk Of
the saloon hangers on than they were
a year ago when the saloons were
wide open.
Another thing: There are not now
one quarter the number of tin horns
hanging about the city that there was
last year. That's one blessing, any
way. And another hopeful sign o.
the times is the surrender by erst
while defiant and persistent yiolators
of the prohibition law of their govern
ment tax receipts, commonly known
as government liquor licenses Thi,
in itself should be pretty good eyi
/ dsnce that an Improvement has beer