Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-18
The Anti=Saloon League
Bv Frederic j. Haskin


Of the Anti-saloon league in that
direction and the state went dry The
Anti-Saloon leaguers are all FOR pro-
hibition eventually. but they are Will
ing to take a little bit at time and
to bde a wee,
The campaign waged by the Anti
Saloon league is unique In the history
of so-called moral reforms in that II
takes into account the essential value
of expedency. The "abolitionists' who
famed the fires of anti-slavery agita-
tion before the war are comparable to
the straight-out "prohibitionists OF
today. Neither accomplished much IN
practical results. But the issue or the
'abolitionists' when adopted by an or
ganiztion with regard for eXpedlency
resulted in the Republican party
The Anti-SaIoon league in one state
may be fighting with the regular Re-
publican organization for straight pro-
hibitlon. Across the border in the next
state it may be fighting with the DEM
oCratic organization for county unit
local option bill. saying never word
about prohibition. In one city 1t may
be allied with Citizens movement
to oust a regular party organization
from municipal power In another IL
NAV he allied with one of the regular
party machines for fighting for moth
ing more radical than tight Sunday
cid" as its issue.
1t is inevitable that an organization
which thus seizeS every opportunity
to advance any part of its propaganda
should make alliances with forces
which invite the severe criticism OF
the opposition, and often OF the pro-
hibitionsts. 1t is also inevitable that
a movement which has manifested
such great power should attract to 1t
a certain type of self-seeking politician
whose conduct brings the league into
bad odor. The leaders of the Anti
Saloon league say they realize these
things, but that in their great tight
they are willing to accept aid from
any source. What the league wants Is
results.
At the convention in Chicago the
principal feature on the program Will
be the call of the states. The names
of the states will be called in alpha
betical order, and the league workers
from each will report the progress OF
the campaign in his bailiwick. Nine
states will report "all dry" OF these,
Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama and Mississippi voted out the
saloon as the direct result of the cam
paign waged by the league. From
every state in the Union the league
workers will report victory in the ma
torty of battles in which the organ
izatlon has engaged. Twenty-three
governors of states, half of all the
governors in the Union. are committed
in part or in whole to the support OF
the league. More than half the people
of the United States live in prohibition
territory, and a great deal more than
half of the land area of the country
is dry" so far as the legal sale of
alcoholic beverages is concerned. Dur
ing the two years since the last meet
ing of the National league, the organ
ization has won political victories of
one sort and another in every state,
and In the whole country has won
more than three-fourths Of the fights
in which 1t has engaged.
A striking feature OF the propaganda
of the organization Is that, in its fight
on the saloons, 1t devotes more argu-
ment to the economic and political
phases of the question than to the So
called moral issues. The evils result
ing from the control Of political ma
chimes by the saloons and the economic
losses involved in the business are
dwelt upon, while there is not nearly
so much said about "drunkards" and
horrible examples"
Thus far the league has done very
little in national politics. 1t has been
fighting for certain federal legislation
and has put congress on notice that 1t
must sooner or later zeal WIN tne
question of prohibition for the District
of Columbia. If the league should
take up an active campaign in favor
of the proposed legislation by which
congress resigns to the states the right
to regulate interstate shipments of
liquors, then the fight will become
national At this time the leaders of
the league are divided in opinion as
to whether or not the time has come
to enter the national field as an ag-
gressive political force.
Interests opposed to the Anti-Saloon
league and organizations fighting 1t in
politics are confident that the league
is at the high tide of its power and
influence. 1t is believed that an era
of reaction will follow the prohibition
wave and that the saloons will come
back to the towns from which they
have been driven. The leaguers de-
clare that the hopes of the opposition
are groundless and that the league is
stronger and more potent today than
ever before.
Whether one believes in prohibition
or not, whether one believes in sump-
tuary legislation or not, whether one
believes that blind tigers" are worse
than licensed saloons or not; whatever
one may believe with relation to the
issues revolving about the saloon, the
meeting of the National Anti-Saloon
league in Chicago Is fraught with in
terest to every American.
TOmorrow-National Corn Exposition.