The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1913-08-29
ONE GREAT QUESTION.

IN an article III tiidl pdpSi
the temperance question as one
great National Question, saying III
hasn't been solved by saloonkeepers,
BY prohibitionists or by clergymen,
adding that the country editor might
solve it by telling the real truth IN
spite Of the hypocriteS. He concludes
thus:
The earnest woman whose hus-
band, son or father has been a VIC
tim Of whiskey cannot be blamed IN
her ignorance and in her sorrow III
she combines with others to work
for the total abstinence and prohlbl-
ton that are not possible, including at
tacks on tobacco itself, in her attacks
on drink-and thus occasionally
Bringing OF prohibition with excess
sive drinking Of whlskey.
To oppose them, tohurt their feel
ings by telling them that they are
trying to DO the impossible, that pro-
hibition means whiskey drinking IN
stead Of beer drinking, that ellmi-
mating tobacco would mean eNces-
sive use Of drugs, is not a pleasant
task. For they do not know and
they cannet recognize the truth.
But the editors Of this country can
recognize it, as the lawmakers can
recognize it, and they ought to 90 SO.
They can find out if they choose
that the biggest contributor, with
one possible exception, in the United
States to the cause Of prohibition IS
a whiskey manufacturer in Ohio.
And as soon as his and other con-
tributions, plus official hypocrisy.
have succeeded in making neigh
borhood "drY" he concentrates his
energies there, sells his whlslEey by
he case and quickly gets back IN
the profits from extra whiskey sell
ing and whiskey drinking much
more than he gave to the cause OF
prohibition!
How does that fact impress the
good people who refuse TO accept
facts, who refuses 70 inform them
selves as to the truth which this
whiskey maker so well knows, that
where yon drive out the light slim
alants you bring in whiskey, the
poison'
Editors in Maine can find out if
they choose what the Governor Of
Maine told this writer, that the chief
supporters Of the prohibition element
in Maine att recent election were
the express companies. The eX-
press companies were particularly
anxious that prohi6tion should pre-
vail on account Of the large amount
Of money tIiat they made by send
ing individual packages Of whiskey
10 individual CONSUMERS.
In Italy the masses Of the popula-
ton, all using slimulants, but drink
ing the red wines and the white
vines only, light natural Wines not
exceeding 8 per cent in alcoholic
strength, are sober. And in the
seasons when the great production
Of wines lessons the price, the
amount consumed per Individual is
scarcely increased. The wine staker
as a food, not as an intoXicant
Maine has Ten times as much drunk
enness as Italy, with less than one
tenth of Italy's population.
This is true Of FRINGE and Spain
Ii is only where brandy, absinth'
and other alcoholic drugs are intro
duccd that Drunkenness follows.
Entire populations in Germany ar
temperate, law-abiding, prosperous
because they only drink the Ugh
natural beer.
Let him who will and who car
have total abstinence as his owl
rule. 1t is the quickest road to sue
cess, as Z. H. Hartman learned,
not 10 good digestion and long life.
But while the individual practise
total abstinence for his own benefit
and because he believes in It, il
him realize that for entire popula
tions it must be an unattainable ides
in this century and in other oountrle
for centuries TO come.
History proves that.
Put whiskey. gin andaIl intoxoat
no drinks containing more than
oer cent OF alcohol in the same olas
viii, opium, morphine and the othe
drugs.