United labor bulletin., 1910-02-25
DENVER
SHOULD BE WET

lican Club in the courthouse last Friday
night, A. NJ. Eppstein in debate with
John Hipp made such brilliant argu-
ment in support of why we should have a
wet" Denver that he was presented with
a large cluster of American beauty roses
when he had finished.
Mr. Hipp dscoursed at length on why
we should vote the saloons out of Den
yer. He started by saying that wine is
a mocker." and represented in graphic
manner the degradation that he charged
to liquor. Hipp cited the town of Greeley
and its growth since prohibition had won
there. He called to notice the town OF
Fort Collins and said its growth had
been rapid since the liquor trade was
driven from it. He contrasted Colorado
Springs with Colorado City. speaking on
the beauty of the one and the disgrace OF
the latter as he saw it. He spoke of the
churches and the school houses and the
handsome homes. of Colorado Springs,
and the lack of them in Colorado City.
Mr.. Hipp cited letters from the mayors
of Lincoln and Mobile, Ala, wherein they
stated the good effect of prohibition. He
said that although the saloonkeepers pay
s4S5 900 into the Golfers of the city each
year, the money comes from the consum-
ers.
Then came forward Mr.. Eppstein He
attacked his subject from three different
sides-the fact that prohibition does not
prohibit, the moral effect on the commun-
| ,e 1,fh ion
the financial effect in those places where
prohibition does exist. Mr.. Eppstein's
talk was in figures and facts, as he had
them to refer to. He eschewed senti-
mentality.
On the first point he declared that the
entire matter was covered and that his
listeners would not ask for the remainder
of the reasons. He said:
Does prohibition prohibit? l say, most
emphatically, MOI as do many of our
largest daily papers of the United States,
as do many of our most prominent and
deep-thinking ministers, priests and
preachers. You cannot legislate morals
into any living being; all history attests
the fact that law never reforms mems
habits.
did you ever stop to think that ninety
per cent. of the people of the civilized
world are moderate drinkers, seven per
cent total abstainers and three per cent
drink to excess? Is it fair that the seven
per cent should decide what the ninety
per cent shall do, to save the three who
won't be saved anyhow"
Eppstein then read several clippings
from Eastern papers.
1.-THE police record in Atlanta. dry At
lanta, that the day after Christmas, be-
tween 200 and 300 men were up in police
court, and the principal cause liquor"
And now for the financial side of the
question The increase in the valuation
of all property for five years ending June
l, 1908, was for Maine fourteen per cent;
Kansas, six per cent; both prohibition,
and for Pennsylvania. wet state, was
twenty-six. Could one figure out from
these results that the realty prices are
enhanced in prohibition countries?'
Mr. Eppsten then quoted from Abra-
ham Lincoln on the question of prohibit
| ton:
prohibition will work great injury to
the cause of temperance. 1t is species
of intemperance in itself for it goes be-
yond the bounds of reason, in that it at
tempts to control mans appetite by leg
islation and making crimes of things that
are not crimes prohibition law strikes
blow at the very principles upon which
our government was founded. l have al
ways been found laboring to protect the
weaker classes from the stronger and l
can never give my consent to such law
as you propose. Until my tongue shall be
silenced in death I shall continue to fight
for the rights of men"
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