The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-12-18
A LAST WORD.

This is the last issue Of the Evening
Statesman before the local option
election Monday. Before it is too late,
would say another word why the
Statesman is supporting the business
men of the city in their campaign for
reform in a safe, sane method. This
mVch there is to remember-the BUSH
ness, men are the life of the city, they
have made the city.
Now the business men have outlined
policy. They have pledged them
selves to stand behind it, and they
must keep faith to keep your conf
dence and your trade. We believe
they are going to keep their faith and
we believe that you believe it. You
would believe them in anything eise,
would you not? Then why not here?
This is their policy. Regulate the
number. of saloons TO one for each one
thousand people. Do away with any
saloon district by limiting :he number
of saloons to one in each block IN
the business section of The city. Do
away with the dives. The saloons
will have their bars open t. inspection
from the street under the state law;
and under the city ordinances the
business mems platform calls for the
removal of chairs in which the drink
hn ic 70 he
doubled, so that the cutting down Of
the number of saloons will not affect
the city'S revenues. Is not his bet
ter than the other? Now be honest
and say whether or got you think your
boy will learn to drink sooner In
saloon open to the public gaze, Nnere
if you do not want him to drink and
of course you don't. or will ne learn
quicker from the bootleggec who will
ply his nefarious trade in every
quarter under cover. You are not pro-
tecting your children, fair minded
reader, by voting the saloon out Of
sons the business men ask FOR re-
form and not for such stringent &C
ton as will upst all municipal condi-
tons.
Remember. there are tw2 sides to
the question. The business men are
fair, they admit the saloons need reg
ulating, and they admit the existing
evils. But they have evolved a reme-
dy which they think will answer the
purpose far better than will the ac-
tion proposed by the radical dry"
forces, who look no further than the
abolition of the saloon.
For as the business men point out
to you, what do you gain by the abol-
ition of saloons under the present law?
Liquor, in wholesale, may be obtained
everywhere and instead of purchasing
one drink, the laboring man,
usually. the small drinker, will have to
purchase in large quantities; which
will put the liquor before him all the
more, a constant temptation before the
boys of his family. Yes, and the girls,
too. And if he does not drink liquor
purchased in large quantities, what
will he do? One of the chief argu-
ments advanced by prohibitionists, say
the business men, is that drinking IS
a habit that cannot be broken. Then
the liquor will be purchased IN small
quantities of bootleggers, and as the
experience of Pittsburg, Kansas. and
other cities show, instead of drinking
beer, they will drink whiskey, and it
will be the worst kind of whiskey at
that
Does prohibition prohibit? Now be
fair. Answer the question fairly.
which would you rather have? The
prohibiting prohibition of the To-
cal optionists? Or the regulation of the
business men,
Here are few OF the questions pro-
pounded by the business men. Do you
q to see the revenua Of the c;tv