The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-06-02

and then preaching, working and pray
ing that it might get no business to do.
They were beginning to see that the
effect of laying a special burden on
the liquor business was only to dis
tinguish it with special Importance and
stimulate it to special pains and super
latiye ability. The high-license treat
ment of the saloon practically amounted
to the administration of oxygen, at pub
lie expense, TO rival athlete.
It made no difference to the liquor
dealer how high his license was, for the
drinker paid 1.-THE drinker and his
family, and his neighbors.
The people began, everywhere, to say,
"the saloon must go, - and they began
to vote it out, by precincts, town, eoun-
ties and states. with congress, not too
willingly, cooperating.
This new, sane, stimulating, success
full movement is at food tide. on the
mainland. In 1908, eleven thousand
saloons were closed by the votes of the
people. Eight states of the Union have
formed a new sisterhood, to remove the
tag from the public virtue, and refuse
to sell it, or compromise it, at any
price. Nine other states are about to
join them From Alaska to Florida,
and from Massachusetts to Hawaii, the
liquor problem has been taken up. as
politics, by the people. The politicians
SEEK TO exade the issue, and crooked
officials seek to nuIIify it. But the
people are right, and the people rule.
The liquor traffic bowls and repents
and begs for chance TO reform. But
j il viii not get it. It is incapable of
it. The only cure for the saloon is
no saloon.
The reputable press is with the peo-
pie. The liquor business has victims
and servants and mereenaries, but it
has no friends.
| Hawaii has felt the mighty move
nent feebly and slowly, but she has
caught it at last. and Hawaiian voters
are face to face with the best chance
they ever had, TO show their quality.
| They did show it, in the last session
of the House of Representatives and that
was only beginning. Hawaiian men
viii rise te the protection of their peo-
pie. The present licensing commission
/ win make substantial progress. And
there is very good reason TO believe
! that the next session of Congress will
put the islands under prohibition, for
the good Of the army, the navy, the
territory and the world, if the Hawai-
ian people only say the word.
The Resolution.
And as delegate to this convention
I now offer the following resolution,
for such action as you see fit to take:
Resolved, That the Hawaiian Evan
gelieal Association convened IN its
eighty-seventh annual meeting, at the
city of Honolulu, this first day of June,
4. D. 1909, representing one hundred
churches with a membership Of over
seven thousand and budget of more
than $4,000 annually, in aid of
churches, schools and social settle
ments. earnestly petitions Congress to
prohibit the manufacture, importation,
transportation, sale, giving away or
furnishing Of any Intoxicating liquors,
malt. fermented. vin0us or spurious,
for beverage purposes, in the Territory
Of Hawaii, as originally provided in
the Organic Act. Notwithstanding the
fact that the liquor traffic for such pur-
poses Is. a present, permitted by the
Territorial statutes: for the reason that
? the presence in the Territory of an
alien population Of over one hundred
thousand, and Of large bodies Of nom
voting soldiers and sailors. makes it
impossible for the small body Of Ha-
wsiian and white eitizens-not exceed
inIg 14G80 Internationally TO po-
lice a trade 50 pernieious IN its tenden-
eies and SO incorrigibly lawless IN its
character.