The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-07-06
EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION.

the OTOnlO1C1Oh Id" WI S
but most we'll informed people will
testify that it is a vast Improvement
and is working better than was eX-
pected. III South Carolina papers
are exploiting an interview given by
Mr.. J.. NJ. Allen, Jr.. said to be OF
Goldsboro, who says it is a failure in
Goldsboro, and adds that practically
the same conditions exist in most OF
the other towns Of the State. The
only real test is to study conditions
in those counties and towns where pro
hibition has been longest IN operation
and ascertain the views Of those peo-
nle. In the East. Robson is h big
gest county that has given prohibition
a long trial. For the first few years,
there was much rouble in enforcing
the law. and it is not even now per-
fectly enforced. No law is or ear be,
but not a tenth of the people or tnat
county would even consider going back
TO the old days Of bar-roOns and
stills. h same thing is true Of Yam
cey, the pioneer prohibition county IN
he West, where the abolition OF Whls-
key-making and selling has almost
put an end to business ON the crimi-
nal side Of the docket.
Greensboro has tried prohibition
longer than any large place IN the
state. What is the result there? Re
ferring to the interview by Mr.. Allen,
p]ronouncing it a failure, and saying
that labor is demoralized because the
colore0 man can make more money
running q blind tiger than by honest
work.; that business is demorallzed;
that more money is being sent away
after liquor than was spent for liquor
under saloons; that drunkenness is
with blind tigers runnlng
along smoothly and practically undis-
turbed"-quoting this wholesale IN
dictment of the law, the Greensboro
Record replies as follows:
The Record is not in q position to
speak by the book as to GolGsboro,
although our information is quite to
the contrary; but as Mr.. Allen takes
in the State as we'll as Goldsboro we
may be permitted to say that so far
as III 40
Vide Of the mark. The Record did
not support prohibitions; it opposed
the measure to the best of its ability
because We did not believe that pro-
hibition would reduce drunkenness,
but seeing is believing, and we re-
peat what we have often said, that
such has been it's success that we 90
not believe enough signatures could
be had to a petition to call an cleo
tinn U~aro If nnScihjQ TO hold one fVOr
a few months following prohibition a
very large amount of whiskey was
shipped here; people ordered 1T ana
drank it. bus they got tired CT 1T and
for the past two years there has been
very little of his business. Of course
there are blind tigers; we had them
here When the saloons were in full
blast, but there are also convictions
and rOad sentences, so that at pres
ent and for some time there has been
very little of it. No one but a Wild
eyed fanatic would claim that prohi-
bition would completely stop the
drinking of liquor, but in Greensboro
it has accomplished an immense
amount Of good and it is a rare thing
to see a man even under the influ-
ence of liquor, much less drunk and
down.
Mr.. Aliens assertion that SO grea,
is the disgust that the next legisla-
ture may repeal the State prohibition
law is enough to make a wooden In
dian laugh; it is too absurd on its
face to discuss
The testimony thus given as to
Greensboro will be duplicated as the
years go by in every community where
the authorities do their duty in en-
forcing the law. Prohibition does not
prohibit absolutely, but it mas been a
marked blessing, and, as the people
Will be more and more satisfactory.
Its best results will not be seen until
the history of the rising generotion is