Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-08-12
ADVERTISING
Prohibition, Obstacle to Real Reform

graSping him by the arm, eXclaiineu'
my God. what are you doing here.
my boy?' 1t was this gentlemans
own son that had been dressed up In
these rags by the good temperance
women and sent out to carry this BAN
ner of shame and humiliation through
| the streets. This exhibition is a sam
| Pile of the methods employed by pro-
hibitionists to gain converts to their
| cause.
If these children really had drunk
en- fathers. it was unspeakably brutal
and cruel to make such a spectacle OF
them before the public If their
fathers were not drunkarde, the |
whole thing was cheap, theatrical
performance deliberately intended to |
create a false impression on the pub
lie mind And all this fraud and vul- !
garity in the name of temperance and
religion!
Here is another example of the
Incorporate Temperance" of prohi-
bitionists A professor in one of our
universities accepted an invitation to
speak at temperance" rally in
church. In the course of his remarks
he referred to the miracle at Cana,
and expressed himself thus: II have
given this matter profound thought,
and l wish to say to you that l have
reached the conclusion that when
Christ turned that water into wine,
he did what was wrong" Blind pas
sion wild fanaticism and bitter in
tolerance are the chief characteristics
of the whole prohibition movement.
1T must be apparent to every sane and
reasonable mind that the sooner this
miscalled temperance crusade Is
buried out of sight and forgotten, the
sooner the way will be cleared for
genuine temperance reform.
Finally, prohibition must be con-
; demned, not only because it has fall
ed to accomplish any good, not only
because it blocks the way to real re-
form but because it is itself the
source of many social and political
d evils These evils are briefly sum-
married. as follows:
1. Prohibitory legislation has new
: er succeeded in abolishing the liquor
traffic, but it has succeeded In de-
. grading and demoralizing the traffic
II by driving 1t into secret places. The
u liquor laws in most of the states pro-
l. hibit the use of shades in saloon win
II dows and screens in front of the bar.
e This wise provision is based on the
" business is of such a nature that II
" is far more likely to do harm when
L It is carried on under cover than
i when it is open and aboveboard
1T Now prohibition forces the liquor
D. traffic to secrete itself, not merely be-
er hind screen, but behind barri-
ST caded door. The door is quickly
H. opened for those that know the pass
ne word. but shut against the officers OF
m the law. The only practical question
that confronts us is whether we shall
at permit the liquor traffic to be carried
In on openly under the supervision ant
Ill control of the law, or whether W.
ne shall drive it into places where TIN
ns arm of the law cannot reach it. Ii
on cense means the open barroom, prohi
III btion mean the speak easy" Which
"a of the two kinds is the more likely t
or harbor evils and encourage intern
Eli perance?
to 2. If there is any one bushes
al more than another that. in the in
m terest of the public, ought to be !
Nv the hands of men with conscienc
'al and moral principle, it is the liquo
les business. proper kind of licens
Ter law can do considerable toward i'm
ay proving the personnel of the trad
* Prohibition, on the other hand dis
raj courages decent, honorable men froi
IS engaging in the business, and thu
OF throws it into the hands of the mos
sse INSCRIPTIONS and irresponsible me
in the community. The only quail
on fication required to do business unde
yill prohibition is the ability to beat tn
lg- law without getting caught. coupl
ga of years ago, in a certain town o
Long Island one of the best hote
tor had to close it's doors shortly aftt
re- the dry law went into effect. TIL
proprietor of this hotel was one
to the most honored men in the con
rly munity prohibition did succeed /
re- closing this mans bar and drivir
ex- him out of the hotel business
tn WELL and it closed other decor
In places. But what was the result
ice Why, within two years between fit
,on and sixty Kitchen saloons" were e.
the tablished in this same town. 1t is
ut well-known fact that most of tt
ion men that run these speak eases'
ons a dry town are thoroughly Statistic
the with prohibition. A license la
the would put them out of bushes
ro- Again, the only question Isl shall v
sa- encourage and protect the dece
ce, liquor dealer or shall we encourai
,er. the other kind? One kind or II
der other we are absolutely sure to hay
the 3. Prohibition has bad effect al
the on the drinker. 1t tends to discou
'rst age the use of the lighter alcohol
the beverages and to encourage the e,
cessive use of the stronger liquor
hi The tendency is especially pronoun
the ed wherever the attempt is made
lists enforce the law vigorously. Dete
md ioration in the quality of liquor is a
IDS, other one of the blessings" intr
M duced by prohibition The men wi
ain run the speak easies' often NAL
EEL their own whisky" and you CO
in imagine the nature of the blend
me A few years ago, when the town
sta which the writer lives was "dry,"
ere confirmed inebriate who lived in a.
xay joining wet" town got in the hal