The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-08-26

prohibition movement It must be ap-
parent 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 tenn
perance reform.
Finally, prohibition must be con-
demned, not only because it has failed
to accomplish any good, not only be-
cause it blocks the way to real reform,
but because it is itself the source of
many social and political evils. These
evils are briefly summarized as follows:
1. Prohibitory legislation has never
succeeded in abolishing the liquor traf
fic, but it has succeeded in degrading
and demoralizing the traffic by driving
it into secret places. The liquor laws
in most of the states prohibit the use
of shades in saloon windows and
screens in front Of the bar This wise
provision is based on the common ex-
perience that the liquor business is of
such nature that it is far more likely
to do harm when it is carried on under
cover than when it is open and above
board. Now prohibition forces the
liquor traffic to secrete itself, not
merely behind screen, but behind a
barricaded door. The door is quickly
opened for those that know the pass
word, but shut against the officers of
the law. The only practical question
that confronts us is whether we shall
permit the liquor traffic to be carried
on openly under the supervision and
control of the law, or whether we shall
drive it into places where the arm of
the law cannot reach it. License means
the open barroom, prohibition means
the "speak easy" Which of the two
kinds is the more likely to harbor evils
and encourage intemperance?
2. If there is any one business more
than another that, in the interest of
the public, ought to be in the hands of
men with conscience and moral prin-
ciple, it is the liquor business. A
proper kind of license law can do con-
siderable toward improving the person
mel Of the trade. Prohibition, on the
other hand, discourages decent, honor
able men from engaging in the bust
ness, and thus throws it into the hands
of the most INSCRIPTIONS and ire
sponsible men in the community. The
only qualification required to do bust
ness under prohibition is the ability
to beat the law without getting caught.
A couple Of years ago, in certain
town on Long Island, one of the best
hotels had to close its doors shortly
after the "dry' law went into effect.
The proprietor of this hotel was one
of the most honored men in the COM
munity. Prohibition did succeed in
closing this man 8 bar and driving him
out of the hotel business as well, and
it closed other decent places. But what
was the result? Why, within two years
between fifty and sixty "kitchen sa-
loons' were established in this same
town. It is a well known fact that
| most Of the men that run these "speak
easiest in "dry" town are thor
oughly satisfied with prohibition. A
| license law would put them out of bust
ness. Again, the only question is:
Shall we encourage and protect the de-
cent liquor dealer, or shall we encour-
age the other kind? One kind or the
other we are absolutely sure to have.
3. Prohibition has a bad effect also
| on the drinker. It tends to discour-
age the use of the lighter alcoholic bev-
erages and to encourage the excessive
use Of the stronger liquors. This ten
dency is especially pronounced wher-
ever the attempt is made to enforce
the law vigorously. Deterioration in
the quality of liquor is another one of
the "blessings'' introduced by prohi-
| bition. The men who run the "speak
| easies' often make their own
"whisky," and you can imagine the,
nature of the "blend.'' A few years
ago, when the town in which the writer
lives was "dry," confirmed inebri-
ate who lived in adjoining "wet" town
got in the habit of visiting this
"dry' town about once fortnight.
He was always sober when he arrived
and drunk when he left. He was once
asked why he came from a "wet"
town to "dry" town to get liquor,
and his answer was: 'Because I can
get quicker and cheaper jag on in
Riverhead than I can in .........' This
is the way prohibition reforms the
drunkard! It . is often claimed that
while prohibition does not altogether
prohibit, it does succeed in reducing
the consumption of liquor. This claim
is not based on fact. But even if it
be true that less liquor is drunk in a
given community under prohibition
than under the license system, the all
important question, from the point of