Arizona republican., 1911-04-09
IA NECESSARY EVIL SHOULD BE REGULATED
The Licensed Saloon Less Dangerous
 Than the Blind Pig"
To the Taxpayers or Maricopa coun


 ty:
 Many of you have undoubtedly read the Gazette for the past twelve days. If so, you have had chance to see the one side of the liquor question discussed, in many respects, most good citizens will agree, but there are two sides to even the saloon question.
 First, I will say that l don't be- lieve that there are more than two saloonkeepers, and not a single bar keeper in Phoenix, or in the Territory of Arizona, that could single me out in a crowd of a dozen men unless they knew every other man In the crowd; this l say after living in Phoenix for fourteen years, so you see l am not writing in the interest of the saloon. but for my own three boys, three grandsons. and for YOUR boys, and your girls; and if you will throw aside all prejudice, and read this through-then think for your selves, you will certainly agree with me that there are two sides even to the saloon question.
 Are you not aware of the fact that, on the very day you close the sa- loon to the public. you open the blind pig, the blind tiger and the "bootlegger" to our boys and girls? One "bootlegger'' will start on the downward road more boys and girls in one year, than all the saloons that have been running in Phoenix for the last year under the present restrictions, would in ten years.
 Stop, think, Brother. sister. it may be your darling boy or girl; then your voice. like thousands before you in temperance localities, will entreat. clearly and distinctly. In the name of God and humanity. give us the sa- loon-with restrictions if possible but give us the saloon." No blind pig nor "bootlegger" can prosper where saloons are allowed to run. for the saloonkeeper will see to it that they are kept out.
 At this point the good temperance people will bob up and say: Well prosecute these blind pigs and 'bootleggers." But, hold on, Mir Taxpayer. whose money are they go ing to use in this prosecution?
 Are you not aware of the fact that We shall have from $2O.O00 to $25,0OO less annually to do this fighting with if we cut out the saloon?
 Again, I ask, whose money are We going to use in this work?
 Look over the Gazette list of those who have been and are pledging themselves in this cause: every sig nature represents a good, honest conscientious citizen, but not very
 many very heavy taxpayers; most of
 them. like myself have little or no
 taxable property; for this reason, and owing to the fact that l earn my
 bread by the sweat of my brow feel that I can take un this side of
 the question without being accused of
 doing SO through a selfish motive
 No, indeed! l am doing this for our young people, and cannot un- derstand how it is that any Chris tian man who can think for him self.and repeat that part of the | Lords Prayer which says. lead us not into temptation. but deliver us from eviT'. can vote to force his ! own and others children into temp tation. and to a ten-foid greater evil than the wide open saloon. Do you think, MT. Taxpayer that
 the signers of this list are going
 down into their jeans to furnish the almighty where with all to prosecute
 blind pigs" and "bootleggers'' Look again and draw your own ] conclusions
 I am confident you will find a greater load before you, in the way
 of taxes. than you have at present and you will all agree that it is heavy enough now.
 To the good temperance people: 1 Your work is commendable so long as you keep within the bounds of ! reason; but when you bubble over and get into the undertaking. brow beating. slandering. vicious class many of whom call themselves fol- lowers and teachers of the meek and Iowly, you are doing more harm than good: and undOing much of the good you have accomplished. And. say, Mir. Prohibitionst. did you ever stop awhile to think that long before the old Hotel Adams was built in Phoenix-yes. even longer ago than that-away back in the Garden of | Eden. God Almighty tried this great scheme of prohibition-and failed utterly failed: then. looking down in sorrow on his tenants, he called it Humanity. Now, friends, you have the same Humanity to deal with that
 IJa ba1-nnIv o lfttla moro Co. toll