Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-05-15
AN ORATOR
With MESSAGE
Jas. H. Woertendyke Delivers
Interesting Lecture
WHAT SHALL BE DONE
WITH THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC
Absolute Prohibition Throughout
the Nation Is the Only Solution
of the Vexed Question

OF tHc Nexeu QucStlOn
Despite the fact of his follow
ing so closely upon the big guns
who opened the dry campaign in
Otero county goodly audience
was assembled in the Presbyterian
church last Thursday evening to
hear Jas. H. Woertendyke of Los
Angeles deliver his message on
"What Shall Be Done with the
Liquor Traflic?"
The speaker gave an entertain
ing, logical and convincing argu-
ment in favor of total prohibition
throughout the nation by govern
mental action brought about by
the election of congressional, SEN
atorial and presidential candidates
who are pledged to the enactment
OF laws prohibiting the manufac-
ture and sale of intoxicants.
Following are some quotations
from Mr.. Woertendyke's address:
Kind friends, ladies' and gentlemen:
/ have given nearly thirty years of
study to the problem of the liquor
traffic, studying it from the angle of a
clergyman for more than thirteen years
and from the angle of law for fourteen
years, and have come to several con-
clusions that | wish to present to you
tonight in consideration of the follow
ing topic. "What should be the attitude
of the government toward the beverage
liquor traffic?"
Ny first conclusion is, that the liquor
traffic is a moral question. But not one
moment of my time is necessary to con-
vince you of that fact. There is no one
in this country who will take position
in defence of the liquor traffic from a
moral standpoint; it is certainly beneath
the ban of moral law.
My second conclusion is that the
liquor traffic is a political question. By
political | mean any question that is
susceptible to governmental regulation,
control or prohibition. This question is
such question.
My third conclusion is that the liquor
traffic constitutes commercial problem
laying heavy economic burdens upon
the shoulders of the people. In my
study of commerce, world commerce, |
have discovered that it is divided into
three classes.
First, business. You may have sup
posed that business was the sum total
of commerce but you will see clearly
that it is not. There are two other
conspicuous parts of commerce. What
is business? 1t is the investment of
capital and the manipulation of property
to the benefit of the people for profit.
You invest money in buying land, stock
of goods, merchandise, commodities, etc,
which in turn are sold TO the people to
their benefit and profit to yourself.
Each party connected with business
transaction must b9 benefited, other
wise it is crime instead of business.
The second division of commerce is
charity. We always have with us the
poor, the needy, the destitute and any
means of relief to those in need is
charity. Commercially speaking char
ity is the investment of capital, the
manipulation of property to the bene-
fit of the people without profit.
Third, crime. Commercial crime,
which is the investment of capital, the
m anipulation of property to the injury
of people for profit.
Kind friends, where do we place the
liquor traffic? Is it business? No. Is
it charity? No. | think everyone here
is fully convinced that it is a COM
mercial crime.
We shall never settle this vexing
problem until it is recognized as com
mercial problem and | have no other
excuse or reason for closing my office,
leaving my home and family and taking
to the American platform other than
to awaken the consciences of American
to the enormous commercial
of the liquor traffic, for we
will never settle this question until rec
ognized as such a problem.
The fourth conclusion that | have
come to in the study of this problem is
that it is the greatest crime instituted
in the world. | mean here, the great
est violator of the human welfare. Let
me use here the law of comparison,
which is one of the most effective