Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-06-20
BALDWIN ON PROHIBITION.

Governor Baldwin of Connecticut makes it
quite clear that he is not in favor of prohibition
Consequently he will not make an address of
welcome to the prohibition conference to be held
in South Manchester in July. He has many other
invitations to other functions that seem to him
to deserve his presence than body of m-
doubtedly well-intentiOned enthusiasts who, in
the words of the governor, are trying to crowd
total abstinence down everybody throat =
Good for Governor Baldwin! This is what
we call having the courage of ones convictions
And better still the convictions in this instance
right and just Prohibition has proved a
flat failure
In 1903, when Vermont and New HAMPSHIRE
after many years of trial repealed prohibition
the best judgment of the country believed that
prohibition dead issue The statewide
prohibition wave that started with Georgia in
1907 did not represent the sober sense and con
VlctiOn of the public, but was brought about by
frenzy, created through buncombe that has
had no parallel in the political history of the
country. Statewide prohibition was doomed
from its beginning. 1t will probably never again
move the public it did in the eighties when
it was really a serious issue, and as it has done
during the past few years. Missour's ma jority
against prohibition last November was 21S125
in total of 632 ,687 This overtops the 1SSO27
majority against prohibition by Pennsylvania in
1889. Florida majority against prohibition was
about 5000 in total vote of about 1000 Public
sentiment the question is more correctly re-
rheted ny tire SfisStrni than by the Florida vote
There important contests vet to be waged
The elections to be held on the question in the
states of Texas and West Virginia shortly are
merely the elimination of past agitation, and
their purpose is to clear the boards of the issue
In the state of Maine resubmisson has be.l
forced by an overwhelming public opinion
against the wish of the dominant party in the
state.
Everywhere there is evidence of a distinct
tendency away from prohibition The needs of
more than so per cent of the people have called
into existence the liquor trade, the product of
which their overwhelming Judgment has declared
by usage to be wholesome. The people are seek
ing to hinder individual abuse as far as possible
by regulating the distribution of the product, but
experience has taught the total abstainer
that prohibition does not prohibit
1t is the duty of the liquor trade to show
sturdy compliance with the laws as they are
Bad laws tempt disobedience, and this is more
natural when the laws forbid things not felt by
the mass of the people to be unreasonable
Bad laws cannot stand which, in their effect,
defy the will and the belief of the people, SO
long the liquor trade stands firmly in the DO
sition of obedience to present regulation and
shows a willingness honestly to do it's share in
the Improvement of the laws it will be worthy
Of the function which the public has delegated
to i, and will do it's share toward reaching that
maximum II efficiency in regulation for all con
cerned which the public at large desires and
eventually will secure.
Macaulay gave definition of history
that it was a series of experiments in govern
ment AT no distant day the people and the IL
quOr trade of this country will have completed
their experiments in regulation which will ac-
complish maximum of good, and relieve the H.
quor industry from the harassment of uncertain
ty and mistake to which, in the past it has been
subjected