Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-04-26
STATE WIDE PROHIBITION
is FAILURE WHERE TRIED
Iowa Had to Abandon II and Southern States Make Monkey
Of Law and Order Trying It Out.

Evansville, Indiana April 26.-
The Rev. DR.. w. G. Helt, founder o
the Anti-saloon leagues work IL
Indiana and whose recent resigna
ton from district superintendency
in league work created a sensation
has just returned from a still hun
through the south. This eminent
temperance worker who refused tt
continue longer in league harness
because he believes state wide
prohibition is the height OF folly al
this time, in the state, toured the
south to observe the condition pre-
vailing under state wide prohibitory
laws in Tennessee and Alabama. He
comes back to his home more
strongly convinced than ever that
the anti-saloon league is two gener-
ations or more ahead OF time in It's
state wide propaganda.
DR.. Helt quit active service in the
league work when the state directors
declared two months ago that the
leagues next fight in Indiana would
be to get a state wide prohibition
clause in the constitution. DR.. Helt
then declared, and now more en-
phatically than ever asserts, that
this movement threatens to wreck
the cause of temperance in Indiana.
For more than 25 years a minis
ter of the gospel, and still in high
standing with his church; supported
by the Christian men OF Evansville;
strong in his convictions and cour-
ageous in his utterances, DR.. Helts
utterances are being deeply studied
and the following account of his
trip south is of unusual interest:
Prohibition as Applied 90 Cities.
The southern states offer a more
favorable field for the operation of
prohibitory law, than any other
section of our country. There are
but few comparatively large cities
in the prohibition states. There is
almost no foreign population, and
the negroes are practically dis
franchised. If we find that such a
law is non-effectiye under these
favorable conditions, what must be
expected OF the law in our northern
cities. which are made up largely
of foreign born people and their
children. Many of them are among
our most respected citizens, yet they
have their own ideas in reference
20 the drink habit and are opposed
to prohibition.
In order TO get facts first hand,
and to satisfy myself as to the oper-
,ation OF prohibition in the southern
states, recently visited three
representative cities, viz; Montgom-
'srH and Birmingham. Ala, and
Nashville, Tenn. shall endeavor
to give an unbiased report Of facts
I'm reference 10 conditions now pre-
vailing In these prohibition cities.
Montgomery is one of the most
beautiful and attractive cities IN
this country, It Is made up OF a
high class Of people, whom one
would naturally suppose to be in
favor Of prohibition and the enforce
mont OF law.
There Is not a more wide open
city In any wat state IN this country
than Is Montgomery. Every room
which was used Tor q saloon under
license law, is preserved intact with
bar, furnishings. etc, These places
are being operated now as formerly,
with the exception that few soft
drinks" have been added TO the
regular stock Of liquors. The law
prohibits screens, and none are In
use. These places are now called
"soft drink" emporlums, To test
the matter as to whether or not any
other than soft drinks are sold, ]
stopped in one place and had a lit
tle chat With the bartender, who in
formed me that they sold only soft
drinks Before leaving ! said TO