The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-08
Are Told That the Prohibition
Wave Is Receding.
THE SALES OF BEER
Increased 100000 Gallons; +;
Spirits IL Million"
Business Is Growing Steadily
Year by Year."

Washington, June 8.-An attack on
prohibition by Representative Henry
Sherman Boutell of Illinois and pre-
diction by President Carl Hoster of
the United States Brewers association
that the time would come when the
brewer would be found working with
the "real and practical reformers in
the interest of temperance" were the
salient features of the fiftieth annual
convention of the brewers at the open
ing session today.
Representative BouteI advocated
temperance in all things. characteriz
ing it as closely allied and almost
akin to strength"
President Hoster declared that far
from apologizing for being a brewer he
recognized in every one logical pro-
Iloter of true temperance. He predict
ed a speedy return to license of those
states which had adopted prohibition or
local option.
THE pendulum is slowly but surely
swinging the other way" declared
President Hoster, land it is becoming
more clearly and generally recognized
that the license system, which simply
spells regulation may be made to bring
about better results than anything else
that has been tried.
"If the beer pump were compared
with the average soda fountain II would
be seen that the beer pump is in a
hygienic class by itself. The beer bus
mess is bound to increase and develop
year by year. The sales will undoubt-
edly reach so million barrels before our
next convention and by the 1920 con-
vention should not be surprised to see
1t at 100 million barrels a year
''The reaction of the last year against
prohibition indicates that the Amerf-
can people have taken a second sober
thought"
The vigilance committee believes that
the year just ended marked the height
and the beginning of the recession OF
the wave of the prohibition and so re-
ported today. A resume of condition
through the states, presented to the
convention by the committee, charges in
effect that prohibition in many states
prohibited nothing at all.
A condition which the committee de-
scribed as alarming was reported as
existing in South Carolina.
Never has Illicit whisky distilling
there been SO popular as in the last
year" said the committee.
Reports from other states, the COM
rrittee told the convention gave hope
that the high tide of prohibition was
over.
While the prohibition movement has
ridden at high tide, the sale of beer
has increased 90 million gallons and
the sale of spirits has bounded upward
IL million gallons. In this 90 million
gallons of pure alcohol. Such was the
report of the board of trustees to the
today. The volume of busi-
ness of the year just ended. the trus-
tees believe. will exceed 1908. which
was the banner year for the brewing
industry in this country.
The poor prohibitionist is up against
a hopeless fight, the board of trustees
believes. Strong argument for the
of the army canteen was
made in the report of the publication
committee.
Public opinion, as interpreted by
the press of the country and expressed
in many recent elections the report
said, sis crystallizing against ptohibi-
ton, In spite of the tremendous
forces of wealth. power and fanati-
cism arrayed in its support, prohibit
ton has not the standing before the
American people which 1t had a short
year ago"
The restoration of the army canteen,
the committee declared. was demand
ed louder than ever. not alone by the
most intelligent organs of public opin-
ion but by army officers who had wit
messed the results of Its suppression.
Apparently, this swelling protest
falls on deaf ears so far as congress
is concerned" the report said, "the
threat of political retaliation continues
to be more potent than the bidding of
manifest duty"
The last report of the secretary of
war is quoted as saying the abolition
of beer halls had not made for So
briefly and religious observance among
the veterans.