The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-08-05
THE CRUSADE AGAINST DRINK
PROGRESS MADE by CHAMPIONS
FIGHTING THE RUM DEMON.
The Literary Digest Gives No Un.
certain Sound.

Certatn SOtllu.
A remarkable editorial in Bonforts
Wine and Spirit Circular" New
York; warns the saloon that 1t must
reform or go, for the people are be-
coming disgusted with its evils. The
recent Prohibition victory in Knox
Vile is thought by some papers to be
due to a revulsion of feeling against
the saloon rule of city politics rather
than to the conversion of voters to
total abstinence and 1t Is the convic-
tion of this weighty organ of the
liquor trade that IL the saloon busi-
ness throughout the country does not
mend its ways 1t will "be prohibited
in all places save the business or ten
derloin precincts of our larger cities"
So serious is the situation. indeed.
that last June the National Whole
sale Liquor Dealers Association is
sued an appeal for the publication of
the saloon, and a few weeks ago the
Kentucky Distillers' Association APP
pointed Il commission Of FIVE to con-
slider the advisablity of calling ma
tional convention to frame license
law that can be presented to the State
Legislatures in place OF the radical
and impracticable legislation" now
being urged. and often successfully,
by the Anti-Saloon League We quote
these striking paragraphs from the
Wine and Spirit Circular"
with more than one-half OF the
geographical limits OF this great coun-
try under laws prohibiting the sale
of alcoholic beverages; with Tennes-
see passing through her Legislature
a bill that almost amounts to State
Prohibition; with the West Virginia
Legislature passing a measure to sub
nit the prohibition of the manufac-
ture and sale of wines and spirits to
a vote of the people; with Texas pro-
viding that express companies trans
porting wines and spirits shall take
out a $4,000 license, with the Illinois
Legislature considering a couDty-unit
local-option measure, and Indiana a
$1,000 license for the few saloons that
the Remonstrance law will leave in
that State; with Kentucky almost
dry State and probably facing q Leg
islative session that will submit
prohibitory amendment; with an or
ganization opposing us and sworn to
our destruction that seems to lack
nothing in the way of money or
brains, enthusiasm or persistent. un-
tiring work-what, may we ask, is
Niit lht anu SBll ~ u dhC uOllS " al
rest the current of events or to alter
in any way the radical conclusions
which are being forced upon the peo-
pie in every State, county and pre-
cinct?
"If there is one thing that seems
settled beyond question it is that the
retail liquor trade of this country
must either mend its ways materially
or be prohibited in all places save the
business or tenderlain precincts of
our larger cities.
''If the Anti-Saloon League can
maintain its present organization 1t
looks as If 1t will certainly destroy
the legalized saloon in all of the
South ern States. excepting perhaps in
Missouri, and 1t Is certainly making
strong headway in Indiana, Ohio, Illi-
nois. Wisconsin, Minnesota and other
Western and Northern States"
Far from sneering at the AntiSa-
loon League, the wine and Liquor
Circular" pays its respects thus:
The Anti-Saloon League is not a
mob of long-haired fanatics, as some
of the writer's and speakers connected
with our business have declared, but
it Is a strongly centralized organiza-
tion, officered bv men of unusual abil-
ity, financiered by capitalists with
very long purses, subscribed to by
hundreds of thousands of men. wo-
men and children who are solicited
by their various churches. advised by
well-paid attorneys of great ability.
and II is working with definite ideas
to guide it, in every State. in every
county. in every city, and in every
precinct.
'If the Anti-Saloon League IS de-
feated at any point it Immediately
prepares for another attack along new
lines. and when it succeeds it at once
begins work for a more telling vic
tory
Precinct local option, with the
Anti-Saloon League. Is but the fore
runner of county local option, and
this again is merely intended as a
stepping-stone to State Prohibition.
There Is no question that this orgnui-
cation has wel-prepared nlans for
controlling the legislative branch Of
the government Mt Washington. and
of passing a national Drohibitory law
ut some time in the future: but before
II undertakes so gigantic an enter
prise It Is working to cripple the
trade in every possible way. and
while we sleeD-it is succeeding in
the most substantial manner. THE
Literary Digest.