The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1914-10-10
Letter 10 The Editor.


These are: If passed, when
would the Oregon dry amend
ment take effect?
Why was the word distribu-
ton left out of the amendment?
The measure would not take
effect until January /, 1916, thus
allowing over one year for busi-
ness to become readjusted.
AS to the very important ques-
ton Of distribution, j. Il.
Wheeler, chairman of the Com
mittee of One Hundred makes
the following statement:
"rhe wet forces are seeking
to make capital of the fact that
proposed Oregon dry amendment
does not forbid the distribution"
of liquor, but merely its manu-
facture and sale.
They are correct. This was
done designedly and deliberately
by those who drew this amend
ment Oregon has many citizens,
especially many of foreign birth,
who desire to have liquor in their
homes, They feel that it would
be n hardship and an infringe
ment of their personal liberty
absolutely to forbid them the
USE of liquor.
The present proposed law
does not forbid the USE of liquor
by any citizen, be he poor or rich,
provided he wishes to have this
shipped direct from some other
state to his own home.
But the issue this time is the
open saloon and the sale of
liquor in clubs and elsewhere.
AS some German farmers out in
Washington County put it: We
are going to vote for Oregon dry.
Since Hillsboro went dry. we
can still have our glass of beer
at home if we choose, but we do !
not go to town and drink more !
than we ought TO, and waste all |
our time hanging around saloons
and neglecting our farms. and
spend our money treating n lot
of others who are doing the same
thing, And if that is good for
us in Washington County" il is
good for the state.
The comparatively small
quantity Of liquor that is or will
be drunk in the home if indivi-
dual must send weeks in advance
for it to some distant city, may
or may not do serious damage,
We can decide as to that some
other time, but the open saloon,
with its vicious treating habits
and association. its universal
temptation, alike to the busi-
ness man and the laborer. the
man who can't say no. and es-
oecially to the growing youth of ,
Oregon is ineXcusable.
And don't let the liquor peo- .
Die worry you with the charge
hat this will merely drive Ore a
gon saloons out Of business: that .
he same amount of liquor will G
)e drunk but the profit and the
'evenue will 80 to some other city -
n state. from which the same
mount Of liquor will be shipped
o Oregon consumers.
Some liquor is shipped into z
ry Kansas, but official state fig :
res show the per capita con- b
to be $l.25, as against !,
2l per capita for the United
tates as a whole. Some liquor "
shipped into dry Salem.
'ugene, Roseburg, Oregon City
nd other dry towns. But the n
aloon is gone. And the busi-
ess men will tell you that these
ry towns are the best in the y,
late. Some liquor is drunk in y
ortland on Sundays, doubtlsss, "
nd in the homes. But we tai
oubt if the liquor people them nm lS'
lives will assert that one-fiftieth ,
; much is drunk on Sundays as 81,
n weeks days. Some liquor will 20
2 shipped into dry Oregon and
runk in the homes of the few
no will feel they must have it. N,
but every citizen knows the
mount drunk and the damage
me will be trivial compared )
ith the present conditions of Sf SG'
cious, unending temptations to 10
,ery class Of society. Listen! 81
e Eastern liquor interests are pro- pro-
,nerally understood to be con- @l, sel
ibuting two-thirds of the vast g
md that is being used in Ore Ro'
IN to fight prohibition. Would
ey have been doing that if
ey thought their business.
tipping in from outside, would N,
a T. .,,t A.. - A''