Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-11-21

any concession to their demands will be
injurious TO the cause of temperance
Furthermore, IL the prohibition law
were repealed, and locaI-option statute
were adopted. II would be necessary 10
bring on elections In every county again;
and such elections most assuredly would
be brought on. We would have a wet
and dry fight in Atlanta just as
quickly as the law would allow. Who
wants to have all those long fights
fought over again In Georgia?
Let no man be deceived Ly specious
pleas on this subject. The proposal to
return to local-option under present con-
ditions, and to repeal the prohibition
law, means no good for Georgia 1t Is
movement in the interest of the whis-
key interest however men may attempt
to disguise it. Does any man Of sense
doubt upon which side of this issue the
whiskey lords are ranging themselves
What they want. no good man, who is
wise, will desire.
They have much money to spend on
elections, and they may use IL In Geor-
gia, If indeed, they are not already using
1t. They spent hundreds of thousands to
defeat prohibition in Alabama and quite
as much in Maine. They would not hes
itat6 to make contributions to over
throw our prohibition law in Georgia
Having no argument that can be used
for a successful appeal to reason they
most commonly rely upon appeals to Gu
pidity for achieving .leir wicked ends.
1t is to be hoped that our people will
give them to understand that their cor
rupt methods can not win in Georgia.
What we need is not a repeal of pro-
hibition, but better enforcement OF the
law. 1t has done much good. and it will
do vastly more good when the liquor
interests are made to know that It is not
going to be repealed, but that II is go
ing to be enforced. In elections from
sherifTs to governor only friends of the
law should be hosen. The best way to
settle the liquor question in Georgia is
for the good people of the state to de-
liver themselves with such emphasis and
unanimity as will send the liquor lords
about their business by convincing them
that they cannot. by money or any other
means, reverse our policy on that sub
ject. That course will give US peace and
order In the state, and no other course
will.
Any effort to return to local option
means only disorder, agitation, strife.
and intemperance.
Contrary to all the doleful predictions
of the liquor advocates Georgia has pros
pered greatly under prohibition, and ii
We can get clear aDSOlutely OF the DreW-
ers and distillers and their emissaries the
state will prosper yet more. We should
give them a decisive blow and send
them about their business" in other
states where they are more welcome.
We have our problems, and the OPEN
ing OF the Panama canal, with the inn
pulse which it will give to both COM
merce and immigration. will bring us
other perplexing questions. The race
question will not be so easy OF solution
come to pass, and it will be past all wise
when these approaching condlt ons la%s
settlement If we have open saloons to
'nhame passion and dethrone reason. We
want to end the open saloon finally and
forever in Georgia before we are called
20 deal with the complications of the i'm
mediate future. Blind tigers we can
nana~e until we kill out the breed but
open-eyed saloons are not TO be thought
of. Georgia can not afford 70 go back
ward in any good cause, and least of all
in a great moral reform. Georgia must
go forward