Imperial Valley press., 1909-05-15
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
By Mrs. j. c. elsekinton, Press Cor.
 respondent of the W. C. T.U.

(The Press gives this space to the ". c. T. U. and is not responsible for the opinions here expressed.)
 Another year of defeat for the Am erican Saloon" is the heading of an ar- ticle in the May Review of Reviews from which we quote the following:
 The revolt against the liquor traf- fc seems to be world wide. The fight against it in Europe is nearly as fierce as it is in this country. Finland abolished intoxicants by a vote of it's Parliament. Iceland adopted national prohibition in September last The Buma of Russia ordered the removal of the royal eagle from the vodka bottles, and the substitution of the skull and cross bones, the symbols ef death, and the word poison writ ten in large letters beneath them as a warning to the people. In Paris there are placards placed on the bulle- tin boards saying that whoever puts alcohol in his mouth takes out his brains, his money, his health, his hap piness." Government statistics In Eng land show decrease of S30,000,000 worth of intoxicants in the consump- ton during the year 1908.
 The temperance revolution in this country continues with unabated en- ergy. Eleven thousand saloons were put out of business during the year 1908. As many more in 1907, and at that rate of decrease it would re- suire but twenty years to abolish all the saloons of the country
 About 1S,OO0,0OO of the 2O,O0O,0O0 of the people of the Southern States have already outlawed the saloon. In New York city alone there are 1000 more saloons than in all the fourteen south ern States, and it looks as though within the coming five years every State in that section would vote the saloon out of existence
 Almost all of the Legislatures meet ing during tne present year Lave had bills relating in some way to the H. auor traffic. Very few of ,hese bills showing any friendliness to the sa- looms have Leen allowed to become laws. A recent editorial in Comforts Wine and Spirit Circular, written by T. M. Gilmore, the president of the National Model License League. ex- presses the opinion of many liquor dealers upon the present temperance revolution. It says:
 "The Anti-Saloon League is backed by able men and plenty of money. In the last eighteen months the business we represent has been outlawed in the states of Oklahoma, Georgia, Ala bama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and it is now facing de- struction in West Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Utah and Idaho. The saloon is fighting for it's life in practically every state in the Union"
 The liquor men have untold wealth at their disposal, the ablest minds in the nation are employed as their at torneys. They have lobbyists at the sessions of every State Legislature and national Congress, they have poli- ticians of both parties In every State and city who can be relied upon to promote their interests. They have an army of 100000 saloon keepers, and more than that of loyal patrons, mil hons of dollars are spent in adver- tisements and in their literary depat- ment each year, and their fight will be desperate and prolonged. But the self interest and conscience of the nation are against them, and unless there shall be some reformation in the li- suor traffic, which seems now impos- AfDle, or if there should occur no dis fagreement or disintegration among the temperance forces now so united, it is likely that within a generation the saloon, as we see it today, will have passed away.