Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-08-01
THE SALOON
IN POLITICS
By sILENA N. HOLMAN

A stock argument with liquor poll
ticians is that the liqTCr question is a
moral question" and has no place in
politics.
That the liquor question is in poll
tics is not the fault of the temperance
people. When the saloon was licensed
and taxed it got into politics, and it
has been in politics ever since. Theie
Is no possible way to get it out of poll
ties until the protection of the law is
withdrawn from it and this evil put
on level with other great evils, like
theft, arson, murder.
This has been done in Tennessee,
and 1t would no longer be 'in poll.
tics if the liquor men would let it
alone. But with one breath, they de-
cry the evils of the saloon in politics,
while the next they demand the repeal
of the law, which would inevitably
make it political question until the
liquor traffic should be again outlawed
in the State. 1t is not the temperance
people, but the liquor men, who keep
this question disturbing the politics OF
Tennessee.
The good man who hates the saloon,
but wants it out of politics, because 1t
is ''moral question, should study
conditions in some other States, and
see what it really means to have the
saloon in politics. Take Pennsylvania,
for instance, the most hopelessly anti
prohibition state in the Union. The
facts give are from an article that
recently appeared in a magazine OF
wide circulation, and, so far as l know
have never been disputed.
For. twenty five years the liquor
power has had controlling interest in
and dictates the policies of both the
political parties in that State. An
official of big brewing company was
a member of the Democratic State
Committee on Resolutions, and, at the
same time, was one of the most power
full Republican bosses in Western
Pennsylvania Two-thirds of the funds
of both the Republican and Democrat
ic parties are contributed by the brew
ers. The campaign expenses OF more
than half the members of the Legisla-
ture were paid in whole or in part by
the breweries and the saloons. The
LIQUOR men maintain lobby at Har-
risburg, the expenses of which are
greater than the expenses OF the entire
state legislature.
In the city of Reading. where the
census shows that eighty five per cent,
of the adult population are church
members, forty-seven out of fifty-on
polling places are in saloons. Mahon-
ey City of Schuylkill County, g city
of thirteen thousand inhabitants,
maintains one saloon for every eleven
voters Without the support OF the sa-
looms, it is impossible for any man to
obtain any public office. In Philadel-
phia there are two thousand saloons
that pay licenses and twelve hundred
that pay no license, but a slightly
higher tribute to the political powers,
which IS Cheaper!
In the magnificent State Capitol at
Harrisburg, there is one room that is
never shown to sight-seers. 1t is -
handsomely fitted up saloon, which
paws no license and doesn't charge for
its drinks. 1t is kept fully supplied
by the saloon men and brewers of
with every kind of drink
the perverted appetites of men may de-
mand, This bar room is solely for the
benefit of the members of the Pennsyl-
yania Legislature, everyone of whom,
If he wishes, is supplied with key.
He goes quietly in when he chooses,
shuts the door and helps himself to as
much or az little drink as he may de-
sire, and, coming out locks the door
behind him There is no limit, and !