The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-09-18
Interesting Comment,
Concerning Prohibition

pleaseS
On the ground that we have the
right to think what we please we
want to say a few words of warning
to the business interests of Omaha
on the seriously threatening advent of
prohibition in Nebraska. That the
danger of prohibition is serious is
based on our observations and on the
judgment of men who have their hand
on the public pulse of the whole state.
The prohibition agitators are splen-
didly organized They have clever,
experienced leaders and generals.
They have been making swift strides
toward the goal of their ambition for
three years. They are full of conf
dence, and they have reason to be.
They confidently believe they will put
a prohibition amendment through the
next legislature, and today it looks
very much like they will be success
full. They are unopposed by any or
ganized effort on the part of the anti
prohibition voters of the state. They
are pressing their propaganda work
to the front and making converts by
the thousands.
On the other hand, what are the
anti-prohibitionists doing? Compare
lively nothing. The Omaha and South
Omaha brewers are scrapping among
themselves over the sale of a few
extra kegs of beer and seem to lose
sight of the fact that the issue in Ne
braska today is not how many kegs
of beer they can sell, but whether or
not any beer at all will be sold
Prohibition will not be beaten by a
tatiye OF a brewery calls the boys up
to take drink while he knocks on
Lincoln. damns Elmer Thomas and
sends the preachers to perdition. The
gang will agree with him so long as
he buys. The same gang would agree
with Elmer Thomas if he laid down
,, coin on the bar and made a speech
against the saloon
Prohibition will not be beaten by a
campaign made in confidence by Rob
ert o. Fink
Prohibition viii not be beaten with
monthly paper called The State that
bears no name at the head of its edi-
torial columns.
Prohibition will never be beaten
while the state and town is plastered
with Stanford White-Evelyn Thaw
pictures of evil suggestion Haunted in
the faces of the daughters and moth
ers of Nebraska These dirty, sug
gestive creations are supposed to in
crease the sale of beer, but as mat
ter of fact that only increase the
ranks of the prohibition party.
Prohibition will never be beaten by
the Nebraska brewers association OF
the expenditure of a Canadian quar-
ter
Prohibition threatens Nebraska ant
1t will take a general, and clever
general to save the state The bust
ness men of the state must take holG
of this question and organize on bust
ness lines. They must select the very
best man in the state to command
the fight and his word must be law
The brewers of Nebraska must learI
TO give money and take orders. The,
must learn that they are nine-spo
in the campaign against prohibition
and not the whole deck
We suggest that the business in
terests of Omaha wake up to ths
seriousness of the prohibition wave
and put Gurdon W. Wattles. Rober
Cowen or Thomas Byrne at the heat
of the anti-prohibition movement
Then let the general direct the army
There must be a campaign of educa
ton made in the country papers o
Nebraska The anti-prohibitionist
, can present good, sensible. honest bus
mess reasons why prohibition shoul'
be defeated and these reasons mus
be prepared and put before the peopl
OF the state through the countr
newspapers.
D The change in the sentiment o
L union men in this state on the iQuo
4 question has been very great. Twent
years ago the union men were a
u anti-prohibitions Today they are no
There is Indifference among the On
= aha union men on the question an
u out in the state a large per cent G
the members are actually favorabl
d to prohibition.
For instance, take the SentimeI
that came out of the June conventio
of the Nebraska State Federation {
n Labor.
The Reefs renort Of the state fadp