Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-10-18
HOBSON FOR STATE
wide PROHIBITION
Says Local Option is But
Temporary Cure
GOOD CROWD WELCOME
HERO OF MERRIMAC
Though He Was an Hour Late In
Starting Lecture Due to Missing
Train in Pueblo.

y large and enthusiastic audience
was gathered in Grand opera house
on Wednesday evening to hear the
opening shots in the battle for state
wide prohibition, and the echoes OF
the interesting fusiladc it is hoped
will have much TO do i'll ridding Col
orado of the liquor curse with which
1t, has been too long burdencd.
Persia. Greece and Rome stand to
the American people, and all other
peoples oil the earth. as a warning of
the dire results of alcoholism and its
attendant degeneracy.' declared Cap
tain Richmond Pearson iiobson, hero
OF Santiago bay, congressman from
Alabama and lecturer for the proh-
bition forces of the country, the
speaker who had called so large
crowd.
Alcohol and the reckless extravaz
gancc and loose living induced by the
use OF stmulants first permitted Rome
to overthrow Grecse. even as it had
made it possible, for the frugal Greeks
to overcome the Pcrsians," said Cap
tain Hobson.
Il am not a fanatic. treat the
question from a scientific standpoint"
Iaptain Hobson told his audience
Wednesday night. Il believe, as
result OF much study and research,
that unless something is done to sup
press the sale OF liquor in the United
States, this country will cease to be a
great power, just as other nations
have fallen in the past.
In 1850 we were a country people,
IS per cent OF the population living in
| the farming districts. Then only four
gallons OF liquor per capita were sold
| annually in the United States. At
present only 80 per cent of the people
OF this country live in farming com
munities and during the same period
the sale OF liquor has increased to
twenty-five gallons per capita annual
| ly.
| There are 100000 persons in this
country who are addicted to the use
OF alcoholic stimulants. That means
that the efficiency OF 100000 OF the
population of the United States is be-
ing decreased steadily. many of them
ecoming degencratcs.
"lf you drink one glass OF beer a
day, | can take you into my laboratory
| and prove to you that you have deter
ioratcd s per cent. III you drink three
glasses OF beer day. can show you
that in twelve days you have depre-
ciated go to 40 per cent"
Commenting upon the literature
with which the state is being flooded.
and the advertisements appearing in
all but few staunch newspapers like
the Enterprise. the speaker said it
was evident that the Colorado Busi-
| nessmen's Leaguc-more aptly called
the "Boozcrs League was badly
scared when 1t resortcd to the tactics
OF misquotation and lying statements.
The boozers league takes isolated
| nuotations from President Taft and
| candidate Wilson and others trying to
make the pcople believe the very op
positc OF what these men are every
day teaching both by precept and cN
ample. 1t Is well known that at every
banquet attended by the President,
where wine is used, he turns his glass
upside down. and that nc is total alb
,tainer. and forbids it, use in the
| White House. 1t is also true. that
Governor Wilson is an elder in the
| Pres byterian church and is strongly
in favor of the abolition of tile saloon
business.
| The boozers league ought to con-
| slider that the readers are sober as they
read. and whiskcy-s oaked dope from
whisky-fuddled brain don't go these
days. intelligent men and women in
| Colorado know that the great men
quoted from are. i'll a large measure
giving their lives to uplift humanity,
and abhor the use and sale OF intoxi-
eating liquors"
| lioldin~ up the oasis OF Swink as .
'horriblc example" right at home was
perhaps the strongest argument the
speaker could have advanced in favor
OF state wide prohibition.