Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-07-17

The statewide prohibition commit
tee in its official argument in behalf
of initiative bill Nc. 8 .,ives CT ) ore
authority. Gov. Hodges, OF Kansas.
and he is rabid prohbiti0njst.
In this answer the statistics given
are taken from the latest available
statistical reports OF the census bu-
reau of the United States government,
the highest authority in existence,
and iroul official state records. This
state is big enough to decide its own
question without having to go to the
governor of Kansas for dictation. The
citizens of the state of Washington
are invited to address him for such
verification. Gov. Hodges may, there
fore, be called upon to answer $50,
900 inquiries, the voting population
of the state of Washington. He could
not possibly personally answer more
than 100 inquiries per day. 1t is
therefore evident that the answers
have been already prepared by the
Anti-Saluon League.
A pamphlet used by the Anti-Sa-
loon League and circulated through
out the state is evidence of the meth
DDS used by the opposition. The man
labeled on the FINISHED Product
was found after the entire state had
been secured and was made drunk
on liquor bought and paid for and
served him by the Anti-Saloon Lea
que. They got him drunk and then
took his picture.
Ruin Taxable Property.
Initiative bill No. 8 would destroy
taxable property in this state worth
more than SIT ,000,000 wipe out an
annual payroll of more than $1,000
900; would destroy revenues anG
taxes of s2,600,OOO; destroy a hop
crop sold last year for $1,320.000 and
valued this year at $1,sOO,OO0. an in
dustry employing $4,000 people; az
annual malt and barley crop of g.
100000 bushels, 100000 worth O.
which is used locally; depreciate the
aue OF 10000 acres Of barley lands
and $500 acres of hop lands, causing
loss to the state of more than So
900, 900; would lose to the state more
than 100000 for 100000 barrels
of beer brewed here and sold in other
states and countries; would lose to
business $12,000.000 now spent an
nually in trade channels; and would
throw $500 men out of employment
and deprive $4,000 other persons de-
pendent on them of their bread and
butter.
The loss In values caused by such
a law would reach the stupendous to-
tai of $43,0O0,O00 in single year.
This is not fight for or against
temperance. Temperance and prohi-
bition are not the same. Temperance
is self-enforced. Prohibition is force
applied by one set of individuals to or
against another set. The question at
issue is not moral, for no attempt is
made by this bill to prevent the use
of liquor. To the contrary. it is en-
couraged under section 10, which pro-
vides that every person of legal age
may sesure one-half gallon of liquor
or twelve quarts of beer every twenty
days.
To the individual the bill says:
"You may have all the liquor you
want, but you must not spend your
money at home. You may have a
case of beer every twenty days, but
it must not be made by Washington
labor from Washington grown barley
or hops in Washington brewery"
To the $500 men at work in the
liquor industry the Prohibitionist
says: you must find employment in
other lines. Go out and be BARRIERS,
carpenters, plumbers, teamsters. wait
ers, clerks, hod carriers and brick
layers" and this in state whose Ia
Dor market is already seriously over
crowded
Has Local Option Law.
Washington has local option law
today under which communities can
eliminate the saloon where such ac-
tion is favored by a majority, and this
already has been done. The licensed
saloons in the cities are under con-
slant police supervision and public
observation. Remove them and the
traffic in this state would be driven to
secret hannts as it is in Kansas and
Maine today.
Prohibitory laws do not remove the
appetite for liquor. They merely
change the channel through which
the supply is received.
Initiative bill No. 3 would destroy