Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-12
MENTAL STEERING GEAR CAN
BE SET RIGHT, SAYS WRITER

Los ANGELES, June 10.-[Editor
Herald: &C. F." gives me too much
credit for knowing it all, for the fact
is l only wish l did; but there are some
things [ have learned from practical
experience, which is the best of teach
ers. l still claim, what everybody
knows that the laws Of the land are
not success in teaching mankind that
it is wrong to- do a wrong. | still claim
that prohibition is not the most eftec-
tive method to stop the abuse of alco-
holic drink. l noticed while an official
in the United States revenue service
that in prohibition Maine there was an
increase of licenses every year, and
DRINKS were not uncommon. That was
good evidence that the law did not
stop the use entirely in the state of
Maine. My friend &C. f." acknowl-
edges that it is a defect lin their mem
tai steering gear" therefore if such
persons were taken in hand by such
predetermined men as the Rev. Dana
w. Bartlett, and were persuaded that
mental destruction would be only a
part of the wrong they were doing
themselves and others. l am of the
opinion that that would be far more
effective educator than all of the laws
upon the statute books. | have had
some experience along that line with
criminals, and l know that such per-
sons can be persuaded to see them
selves when those facts as mirror are
held up before them.
l had class of 200 criminals in a
state prison, and / showed them that
they had lost the comforts of home, the
respect of their fellow citizens and
their freedom, which was dear to every
human being, and the result was stone
walls and prison bars, and that they
had not only punished themselves, but
had disgraced their families, and when
they retired to their cells to ask them
selves had it paid them to commit a
crime"
The result was tears were running
down many Of their cheeks, and as they
passed TO their cells it was a shake OF
the hand and God bless you for your
kind words. AS a result when their
time expired not one of those men went
back to a criminal life, as years after
ward | learned that many who had
followed crime all of their lives were
law-abiding citizens and prosperous
That is the kind of education such men
as are defective in their mental steer
ing gear" should be given.
1 am opposed to the license system
and 1 think Uncle Sam Is somewhat to
blame, for the simple reason that it is
the money they are after, and because
the states prohibit what the government
has licensed and received the money
for, which in my opinion is unconstitu-
tional, or ought to be; for no state
ought to prohibit what the government
has given permission and has received
the money for. Wipe out the tax upon
alcoholic liquors, and 1t would wipe OUT
every saloon, as it would not pay to sell
whisky at l cent glass when a gallon
could be bought for % cents. In some
parts of England a man can purchase
but one glass, and in some parts OF
Europe treating is unknown.
! | trust my friend c. F. will now I'M
derstand the kind of education I re-
/ ferred to, and allow me to correct him
as l did not say that Grant won his
victories because of his whisky drink
ing" I am sure The Herald wants
nothing but facts, for it is doing al
honest work for Los Angeles, and set
ting a noble example to some of oul
| dailv papers G. M TABER