Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1910-11-24
The reaction against prohibitory

The reaCulOu dSdllSl PIuulUilUTy
laws which the elections this year have
shown in Alabama. Oregon and other
states does not mean that people have
changed their minds in the least as to
the evil effects of alcohol, but that
they are coming TO see that prohibit
tion is practically failure, and that
moral suasion is more effective than
the Big Stick. No one, be he teeto-
taller or imbiber, can honestly say that
ii would not be good thing for the
human race if alcoholic beverages
could be banished from the face of the
earth. But, as it will be long time
before that condition prevails, the
question is as to the best method of
lessening the evils of intemperance.
The writer believes that force is not
the best way. 1t is hard work to
teach an old dog new tricks, and the
old-time school-debating-society prop
osition, Resolved That habit is
stronger than principle, has the pre-
conference of evidence for the atlirma-
tive now. as it had then. The falling
Oft In the consumption of whisky and
the stronger alcoholic drinks all over
the civilized world is not due to pro-
hibition, but to the educational cam
pagn that is being waged throughout
Christendom. While compulsory laws
can do little toward changing the hab-
its OF mature men, moral suaSion and
the teaching of the evils of intemper-
ance in the schools and Sunday schools
has had wonderful effect In lessen
Ing the evils of alcoholic drinking
The teaching of physiology and by
giene in the public schools OF this
state has done much more In the in
tsrest OF sobriety than all the sump-
tuary enactments that have been
placed in the statute-books. The
youthful mind is plastic and can be in
influenced when the irrefutabe evil
dence OF evil is shown; but those who
have formed their personal habits are
poor material upon which to work re-
forms. Many years ago, at old Will
Transport, school-bpy was asked
whether be would drink Intoxicating
liquors when he grew up. With the
new highly-colored physiological
school-charts i'm his mind, he respond
ed mo, sir, won't: cause it'll
burn holes in my 'Stummick. >" That
campaign of moral suasion is MAX
Ing a profound impression in other
countries is shown from the following
excerpt from an article in the Century
Magazine. The article is from the
pen of Henry Smith Williams, the
distinguished specialist innervous dis
orders OF Germany he says: For
the last two or three years temperance
lectures-of course under official aus
pieces have been delivered from time
to time on the war-ships of the Ger
man fleet. Now it is announced that
Prince Henry has authorized the es-
Enlistment of Good Templary i'm the
imperial navy, and that the order
seems likely to thrive there. These
certainly are surprising facts; but we
must link with them the fact that the
most important scientific investga-
tions through which the deleterious
effects Of alcohol have been demon
strated have been performed in Ger
man laboratories. The Fatherland is
still the home Of beer, but it is also
the home OF the most aspiring Of peo-
pie, the most ambitious for world in
fluence, and the word Of the sayants,
declaring that the use of alcohol is
detrimental to mind and body has
made profound impression, of which
the lectures on war-ships are but one
OF many evidences. =
Dr. Williams also calls attention to
the TACT that the French officials are
doing much TO bring to public atten-
ton the baneful effects of alcoholic