The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-15
PROMINENT TEXAS EDITOR
 WRITES ON PROHIBITION

. bly, well, but I despaired when 1 ob served the experience of Charleston, S. ] C., which for IS years has refused to accept even the dispensary as sub stitute for the saloon.
 Meanwhile there has developed be- tween citizens of Charleston and the citizens of the interior an attitude of animosity and intolerance that is dis tressing. South Carolina hates Charles ton," and charleston has, no love for South Carolina" were expressions 1 heard from citizens of the Palmetto State. I observed something of the same feeling between the lities of Georgia on the one hand and the towns and rural districts on the other
 The legislature crammsd prohibit tion down our throats" said the man in the street; let them enforce it if they can"
 "The cities think they are law unto themselves" says the man in the country. We'll show them, even if we have to call out the militia"
 These are the expressions Of the ex- tremists, but they reflect in a degree condition of antagonism thav cannot be good for the commonwealth.
 l dare not say that prohibition will not finally prove efficient in the cities, but I will be permitted to quote dis tinguished Georgia jurist. who said. privately: T was hopeful of prohibit tion, and I could not consent to repeal law because some communities will not respect it; but I wish wa had tried some other method of allevk ting the evils of the saloon"
 When Prohibition Is Wise.
 It hardly need be said that prohibit tion is effective-and in my view it is wise-wherever the people of a com munity favor 1t, for then public senti- ment will compel officers to prosecute and juries to convict. It should be added that the statute has demon- strated that prohibition Is possible in many Georgia communities where it had not been invoked under local op- ton. In fact, prohibition propa- gandism Is mainly responsible for such betterment In saloon conditions as we now enjoy, and I am confident that, by one means or another, the modern tip bling shop Is nearing its end.
 The sole problem, as l see 1t, is what to do with the saloon in communities where local option will not sustain proh ibitlon law. It would be an inn pertinence for me to make suggestions to Georgia, but the reader may be in- terested in knowing what suggestions l make in Texas.
 At this time 1t seems reasona bly, cer- tain that the present legislature will not submit a. prohibition amendment, and that Texas will continue under local option and license for at least another two years. After the most care- ful study I ever gave to any question, bearing in mind the conditions in Georgia, I recommend progressive lim- itation as more expedient and more expeditions means of abolishing the saloon in the cities
 What He'd Do in Texas.
 would begin by narrowing the sa- loon limits, by licensing saloons in a given ratio to population, by closing not later than 10 o'clock, and even o'clock on Saturdays, in order to stop the Saturday night carousals.
 I believe that under such limitations one third of the saloons in the Texas cities would be driven out of business, that two or four years hence the peo- pie would be prepared to accept fur ther limitations, with the result of put ting more saloons out of business and that within a decade we might hope to eliminate the saloon entirely.
 There Is a manifest disposition in our legislature to tighten saloon re- strictions, and I am hopeful that some good measure will be enacted. With persistent, persevefing and progressive limitations, believe tndt ieAdS cdn dc- tually and practically abolish the sa- loon before Georgia can accomplish the same end by statewide prohibition Yet, if there were no hope of saloon re- lief otherwise, if there were no other means than prohibition, I should favor that measure, for the saloon is an evil which must be abated by one method or another, and I do not doubt that the American people will find a way. That alcoholic liquors can be utterly eliminated from commerce does not seem to me possible, or, if possible so remote that 1t need not now be consld- cred CLARENCE OUSLEY.
 Fort Worth, Tex, Feb s, 1909