Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-11-04
The Anti Saloon League and the
Prohibition Amendment.

the state the Anti Saloon League
has been vigorously championing
county unit and city district local
option bills. 1t has done this be-
cause it sincerely believed such
legislation essential to the best
Gee of the whole anti saloon
movement in Missouri. Should
statewide prohibition not come
and these local option measures
be secured, great advance could
still be made in overcoming the
evils of the liquor traffic. Should
a prohibition amendment be sub
mitted these measures would be
exceedingly helpful in preparing
the way for the closed saloons
throughout the state. The League
has not opposed the constitution
al prohibition amendment, but
first it's strength has been given to
what it believed was primary
thereto and certain to be helpful
therein.
From the organization of the
legislature the liquor interests
have persistently and strenuously
fought these local option meas
ures. Their henchmen have been
and jealous. Every
trick known to them has been
played to prevent the bills being
enacted into law. They evidently
propose to prevent all legislation
of this nature, then to have a pro-
hibition amendment submitted,
but so loaded with Objectionable
features that it would have no
more chance of carrying at an
election than a shipwrecked sailor
would of floating with a lead life
preserver.
They carried out the first part OF
their scheme and defeated the
county unit bill in the lower house.
They also raised such a hue and
cry against the district local option
bill for cities that the League con-
sented to change it, making con-
cession after concession, until
anything more taken out would
have emasculated it. Demanding
still more the League said, "No,
we will suffer defeat first and go
back to the people to tell the
reason why"
Thinking they had accomplished
their purpose in this regard, the
liquor men then turned to the
amendment and said, "Now let's
chloroform that so it will never
wake up to seriously trouble u.s."
But just here their plans mis-
carried. Legislators had been
hearing from home. They had
also been forced to recognize the
strength of the Leagues position
and it's true Interpretation of the
will of the people. The tax ride
could not be made to stick. Mel
who had lodged the vote on thu
county unit bill were found de-
termined to have a voice in thu
passage of the prohibition amend
ment. Every important vot'
strengthened the a~nti-salool
forces, until the liquor men began
to realize they had oyer-reachet
themselves.
Thwarted in getting what the.
wanted and what they believed
best under existing conditions
improved local option laws, tn
temperance legislators, like a sta
at bay turning upon the hounds
said, "Let's fight to a finish an
give no quarter" The turn al
fairs took, therefore, was tn
direct result of a persistent effort {
the liquor men to run the legisla
ture in their own interests. Nc
was the Anti Saloon League slo'
to help on the liquor mems dis
comiture. Having been thwarte
in the securement Of wise and sar
legislation, it vas ready to cor
tribute to any movement thu
would compel the brewers to kee
their place and their perniciot
traffic to go into retirement.
1t is too early yet to predi
what will be the final voicing
the Legislature on the liquor que
ton, or what shape the anti-liqu
legislation will be in when the le
islature adjourns, but one thing
sure, the Anti Saloon League W
be found using every availat
agency it can employ towar
securing improved anti-saloe
laws and of .~enforcing all laws
secured. 1t still favors the mea
ures for which 1t has striyen a
ii they can be secured II will pre-
them before the people to wipe
the map as many saloons as pc
sibIe and bring in conditio