The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-28

Under such regulation the law will be
self-enforcing and the saloon keep
ers will become watch-dogs In run
ming down blind tigers. Prohibit the
sale in country districts and small
towns when a majority of the people
are in favor of the law.
"A wholesale liquor dealer in Pen
sacoa informed me that his business
had increased rs per cent since the
several Southern states had gone dry
| asked him what effect he thought
law passed by congress to prohibit
the interstate shipment of liquor
would have on his trade. He said
that It would cause a great reduction
in his business but It would have but
little effect upon the general trade.
Each state would then manufacture
enough to supply its own demand. If
the public manufacture of liquor
1 should be prohibited il will still be
made by moonshiners and private in
divduals. AS long as there is a de-
mand the supply will be furnished
in some way.
The T. s. Marshall OF Montgom-
cry told me that moonshine stills
were increasing in Alabama very rap
idly. That same condition prevails
| generally throughout the South.
only one conclusion possibly can
I be drawn from the facts as herein set
| forth. viz: that prohibition as a cor
receive agency in dealing with the
liquor traffic will not work where It
is opposed by a majority OF the PEG
/ pie II matters not how much this
| fact nav he deplored. II is looking
us IN tne face and we must look II in
/ the face and meet this condition by
some other method. Ideal concep-
tons are all right as long as they are
workable but as soon as they cease
to be effective It is time to pu. them
TO one side and resort to the next
best method to meet present condit-
ions and thus prepare the way for
the use OF a prohibitory law later on
when conditions have so changed as
TO make such law workable II will
be difficult matter for the temper
ance people 10 break away from their
long cherished plan and purpose OF
uprooting the drink evil at one stroke
by the application OF prohibltory
enactment They will be forced to
do so however. by stubborn and un-
yielding conditions. II The results
OF this failure could be confined to
the cities, the case would not be so
deplorable. The opposition to the
law and its failure TO be enforced.
will act its leaven 10 the country dis
tricts and all that has been gained
during the past years OF temperance
warfare will be lost. The time has
fully come for temperance workers
to drive their stakes: to strengthen
themselves In the territory already
acquired, and TO change the method
Of campaign In dealing with the COM
pick city problem. When method
has proven itself to be ineffective II
Is not wise to continue to push Il In
the face OF sure defeat
The cities under review furnish
ample proof OF the fact that a prohi.
bitory law Is at present unavoidable
In our centers OF population. In re-
/ ferring to these cities as | have, do
not mean to cast any reproach upon
them or to discredit them In any
way They are now doing what
other cities will do as fast as law
is forced upon them. against their
| protest. They are simply carrying
out a clearly defined law In human
nature No man, as private citi-
zen, Is going to espouse and put into
execution law or principle against
which he is opposed. Neither Is a
city. This law as applied to cities
Is in advance OF public sentiment. II
Is premature A generation or two
Of educational work must be resorted
to. before Prohibition will be univer-
sally workable. There is no doubt.
Ing the fact that prohibition is work
ing with degree OF success In small
towns and country districts IN all
states but in cities Il is n signal fail.
ure as remedial agency, with a few
possible exceptions"