The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1911-08-03

a life study, and shown their ability
to comprehend the functions, duties
and results of government. Such a
man is William H. Taft, president
of these United States. Listen to
what he says on prohibition and
law enforcement:
Nothing is more foolish. nothing
more utterly at variance with sound
policy than to enact law which by
reason of its concerning the COM
munity is incapable of enforcement;
such instances are sometimes pre-
sented by sumptuary laws by which
the sale of intoxicating liquors is
prohibited under penalty in locali-
ties where the public sentiment OF
the immediate community does not
and will not sustain the enforce
ment of the law. In such cases the
legislation usually is the result of
agitation by the people in the coun-
try districts who are determined to
make their fellow citizens better
The enactment OF the law comes
through the country representatives
who form a majority of the legisla-
ture, but the enforcement of the
law is among tthe people who are
generally opposed to its enactment
and under such circumstances the
law is a dead letter"
The majority of you electors OF
Canyon county voted for both Mr.
Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft. You show
ed by your election that you be-
lieved they possessed the necessary
qualifications for presidents of the
United States, and that you were
willing to trust to their ability, wis
dom, experience and honest endeavor
to give us the best possible govern
ment. If your faith has been well
founded and your confidence not
abused, you must admit that pro-
hibition as governmental function
is failure. II you are honest Ia
your conviction that they know what
is best for the country, unless you
are a hypocrite of the most pro-
nounced variety, you will abide by
their judgment. Even we, as a
democrat, respect their integrity and
ability, and their earnest desire to
do the best in their power for the
welfare of the people over whom
you have called them to rule. You
as republicans, can do no less-li
you are honest
These men are students OF gov.
ernment, and know whereof they
speak; but for fear you think We
are taking all the evidence from one
side, we will give you some from tn,
prohibitionist's standpoint. w,
quote from the Associated Press dis
patches:
OLYMPIA, July 24.-Charles r
Jones, of Chicago, national chairman
of the prohibition party, who is in
Olympit on his way from Seattle tc
Portland, said
Every known method of dealine
with the liquor traffic has been tried
save that of national prohibition ant
all have proven a failure. The con,
sumption of liquor last year was the
largest of record. despite the in.
crease of prohibition and dry" ter.
ritory during the last five years
And from the report OF the com.
mittee on temperance of the Presby
terian general assembly recently IL
session at Atlantic City, New Jer
sey:
AN OPEN CONFESSION.
when all allowances are made
for false and garbled statements, de
liberate falsehoods and misleading
charges the fact remains that there
is an alarming increase in the us,
of alcoholic liquors in the United
States as a whole. Only harm car
result from deceiving the public by
charts which indicate a rapid ad
vance in temeprance legislation and
by boastful statements about max
ing the map all white while we
are doing nothing of the kind"
What do you think OF this evi
dence?
Since the Creation, down through
all time. by all peoples, and fl
every region on earth, alcoholic bev
erages have been used. The pro
hibitionist also we have had Away
with us. If we be sane, and earnes
in our desire to better the human
race, our experience Of yesterday ant
today must guide our course to
morrow. Wherever and wheneve
tried prohibition has proved an alb
solute failure in mitigating the evil
OF over-indulgence, and has brough
no laurels to the crown OF temper