The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-12-01

automatically drunken mob than a
sober people.
Became Member of Duma.
"That was seven years ago. Later
1 was chosen mayor of Samara and
subsequently elected to the Duma on
an anti-vodka platform. In the Duma
proposed a bill permitting the in
habitants of any town to close the
local vodka shops and providing also
that every bottle of vodka should
bear a label with the word poison. At
my request the wording of this label,
in which the evils of vodka were set
forth, was done by Leo Tolstoi. This
bill passed the Duma. but in the i'm
perial council was amended and fl
nally tabled.
II then begged an audience of En-
peror Nicholas. He received me with
great kindness and listened to me
patiently. He was impressed with
my recital that most of the revolu-
tionary and socialist excuses were
committed by drunkards. He prom
ised to speak to his minister of fl
nance concerning the prohibition of
vodka.
Disappointed at the failure of my
bill I had abandoned my seat in the
Duma. 1t was evident the bureau
cracy had INSTRUCTED the measure.
Minister of Finance Kokovsoff also
regarded it as a dangerous innova-
ton, depriving the government of
one billion rubles ($5OO,O0O,0 10000
yearly.
Emperor Investigated.
"While l lobbied in Petrograd the
Emperor visited the country around
Moscow and saw the havoc of vodka.
He then dismissed Kokovsoff and APP
pointed the present minister of f.
nance, NJ. Bark.
Mobilization precipitated the anti
vodka measure. The Grand Duke, re-
Numbering the Reorganization due
to drunkenness during the mobiliZa-
ton of 1904, ordered prohibition ex-
cept in clubs and first-class restau-
rants. This order, enforced for one
month, showed the Russian author
tiles the value of abstinence. In spite
of the depression of war, the paraly-
sis of business and the closing of fac
tories the people felt no privation.
Savings banks showed an increase in
deposits. There was boom in the
sale of meats, groceries, clothing, dry |
goods and house furnishings.
"The 90,O00,000 rubles day that |
had been paid for vodka were now |
being spent for necessities. The av-
erage working week increased from |
three and four days to six, the num-
erous holidays of the drinker have
been eliminated. The working day !
also became longer and the efficiency |
of the worker was perhaps doubled. |
Women and children who seldom |
were without marks showing physical |
violence of the husband and father
suddenly found themselves in an I'M
dreamed of paradise. There were no
blows, no insults and no rough treat
ment There was bread on the table,
milk for the babies and a fire in the |
kitchen.
Press Campaign Succeeds.
"I decided to seize this occasion
for a press campaign so far as this is
a possible thing in Russia. l organ
lied delegations to present petitions
to the proper authorities for prolong
ing this new sobriety for the duration
of the war. This step found favor
with his imperial majesty and an or
der was issued to that effect. A sim
liar campaign to remove the licenses
from privileged restaurants and clubs
was successful and strong liquor no
longer was available anywhere in
Russia
1.-THE second month of abstinence
made the manifold advantages so
clear to everybody that when we call
ed upon his majesty to thank him
for his recent orders he promised
that the vodka business of the gov
eminent would be gwen up forever"
hFfyr1