The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-04
PROHIBITION NOT effective.
STATISTICS PROVE THAT CON-
SUMPTION HAS INCREASED.

opinion has changed radically and the
States that have adopted prohibition
are preparing to reject 1t and they
are preparing to adopt model license.
The pity of 1t Is that years have been
wasted in bitterness anl lawlessness
and farcical lawmaking when the
remedy was to be had for the ac-
ceptance.
When the National Model License
League was organized, little over
three years ago, the press Of the
country exhibited an interest in the
movement but it also exhibited very
great skepticism in commenting upon
the utteranes of those who spoke at
the first onvent!on, and in regard
to the value of our resolutions.
The press seemed to believe, and
the conclusion was reasonable, that
the model license movement was born
of the fear of prohibition, and this be-
cause the prohibition wave was at it's
height three years ago, and it SEEM
ed to sweep over the entire South
west. Central West and large part
of the East.
Furthermore, the leaders Of the
Anti-Saloon League were tremendous
factors, politically. three years ago,
and they did not hesitate to make
open threats to drive into political
exile any men in public life who re-
fused to accept their doctrines any
more than they hesitated to make
threats to drive from the pulpit min
listers who took exception to their
radical and very extreme ideas.
The press was skeptical insofar as
we were concerned, and we do not
blame it for being skeptical, but it
was fair, and it was consderate, and
1T gave thought to our statements, and
1t made Investigations for the purpose
Of finding out if the things we said
were true or not.
When the President of the Nation
al Model License League, something
over three years ago, in q speech
made in New York, declared that the
Anti-Saloon League was not a reform
but political movement.
pure and simple and that the few men
who controlled it were undertaking to
dictate the politics, state and national,
throughout the country; were under
taking to say who should be in Con-
gress and in the Senate, and who
should be elected as governors of
the various States, and as members
OF the various Legislatures; and, fur
thermore. that these few men were
becoming enormously wealthy through
the contributions made to the Anti
Saloon League. the newspapers Of the
country, with some few exceptions.
disagreed very radically with his ut
terances and expressed the belief that
while Statewide prohibition might
not be effective there could be no
doubt that the Anti-Saloon League i'm
fighting the lawless saloon was bring
ing about great reform and in Sc
curing the adoption Of local option,
was lettering conditions in thousands
Of localities and helping the cause of
temperance immeasurably.
When this League announced, how
ever, that neither Statewide prohi-
bition nor local option could do any
material harm to the liquor trade in
general, but would rather bring about
an increased consumption of alcoholic
beverages. the press was really anus
ed and from every direction, from
minister and from speakers employed
by the Anti-Saloon League, and from
editorial writer's, the question was
hurled at us; Then why is the IL
quor trade opposed to prohibition:"
This has been very difficult ques-
ton to answer satisfactory and it re-
quired a showing such as has been
made recently by the Internal
Revenue Department Of the United
States Government to convince the
press and the public that our con-
clusions were correct We tried to
explain that while prohibition does
not hurt the trade as a whole it does
hurt the individual in the State or
county in which prohibition is adopt-
ed and that while prohibition in
Georgia, Tennessee and other States
destroy millions Of property belonging
t. distillers and dealers i'm those
states, 1t simply compelled the con-
sumers in those States to purchase
their liquors from dealers and distillcrs
in other States and, Of course to
that extent it benefited the distillers
and dealers i'm these other Statos