Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-07-02
CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION
NEXT.

sentiment would justify. 1t confines it's
efforts to law enforcement and sentl-
ment building where that is the only
policy public sentiment will sustain.
Il is for local Prohibition where that
policy m cts the requirements
of the most advanced public
demand. 1t always has favored
the adoption of state and national
Prohibition just as quickly as an en-
lightened public conscience warrants.
We believe the time is fully ripe for
the launching of a campaign for Ma
tional rohibition-nOtb by any party or
not mean that we are to relax our
efforts one iota for law enforcem ent
local Prohib ton and Prohibition by
states, but it is a recognition of the fact
that the task begun more than hum
dred years ago should speedily be
completed.
Every defence the liquor traffic
has erected has been battered down
except the defenceless appeal to greed
and appetite. It no longer has advo-
Gates; it n ust depend for ita existence
upon partisans. It is united with the
white slave traffic. The offspring of
this unholy union are robbery, brib-
cry. cruelty, debauchery, and murder.
. The martyred Senator Carmack but
uttered an accepted truth when he
said. "The liquor traffic would rath-
er die than obey law" 1t is an en-
envy to everything that is good in pri-
| vate and public life. 1t is the friend
of everything that is bad. In the
name of decent civil government and
for the sake of humankind the manu-
facture aud sale ofethis despoiler of
the race should be abolished.
The vices of the cities have been the
undoing of past empires and civiiza-
lions. 1t has been at the point where
the urban population outnumbers the
rural people that wrecked republics
have centered and eaten out the heart
of the patriotism of the people, making
them the easy victims ofevery enemy
The peril of this republic likew wise is
now clearly seen to be in her cities.
There is no greater menace to demo.
cratic Institutions than the 81 eat Sc
gregation of an eleme Mt which gathers
it's ideas of patriotism and citizenship
from the low grog shop and which has
proved it's enmity to organized civil
government. Already some of our
cities are well-nigh submerged with
this unpatriotic element, which is
manipulated by the still baser element
engaged in the un- American drink
traffic and by the kind of politician
the saloon Greats. The saloon stands
for the worst in political life. All
who stand for the best must be aggres-
i've against it. If our republic is to be
saved the liquor traffic must be de-
, stroyed.
More than half the counties of the
republic, mu'titudes of incorporated
villages and cities and nine entire
states containing upwards of forty
six millions OF people-ffty per cent
of the population-embracing ab Owe
two thirds of the entire territorial
area of the country have out-laweo
the saloon. The trs ffic has been driver
from the army and navy, from the i'm
migrant stations and from the nation
al capitol; but the creates st triumph o
the temperance forces of the nation
was the passage of the Webb Kenyon
bill over President Taft's veto, no
only for the service it will render tne
cause of good government, but fol
the demonstrated fact that Congress
| is responsive to the organized, ex
pressed will of the people on this as
) on other important moral issues.
National Prohibition can be secured
through the adoption Of constitutional
amendment by Congress and ratifica-
ton of the same by the necessary
three fourths--thirty six-states. A
! state once having ratified the amend
ment cannot rescind it's action, but
g ate failing in it's effort to ratify may
do so at any future time.
The time for nationwide move
ment to outlaw the drink traffic is au
spicious. Organization is now estab-
lished and in operation in all parts OF
the country. The forces that definite
ly oppose tt 10 ira fife are in accord az
at no time in the past. The moral
scientific and commercial aspects O
the problem are beingmore intelligent
ly put before the public than hitherto
The narrow, acrim onius and emotion.
al appeal is giving way to rational
determined conviction that the traffic
being the source of so much evil anC
economic waste and the enemy of sc
much good has no rightful place il
our modern civilization.
Abraham Li"coln reluctantly con
sented to the levying of an interna
/ revenue tax as war measure only
/ when assured by members of his cab.
met and leaders in Congress that i
, would be repealed at the close of the
war. When the war ended and the
broken fortunes of the republic were
manifest, the liquor traffic with tina
: serpent-like wisdom for which it il
noted, was the first to urge the con
tinuation of this tax, knowing tn,
force of a bride upon the public con.
science. From that time to the pres
ent the chief cry against nationa
g Prohibition has been that the govern
= ment must have the revenue. Tn
adoption of the Income Tax amend
ment to the federal constitu lion fur
]. nishes an answer to the revenue prob
,. blem.
- We appeal to every church, to al
organized philanthropies and to ever
individual, of every race and color
n who loves his country and his kind, t
join in this crusade for saloonles
). nation. We depend for success upo
> the race Leader who commando,
-