Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-14
ADVERTISEMENT
To the Voters of
Rock Island
County

Having in view the agitation to make this locality
antsaoon territory, with intent to enforce absolute
prohibition feel it encumbent upon express
our opinions regarding this movement, in clear and
pointed terms.
AS citizens of Rock Island county, which includes
in its boundaries the prosperous and progressive cit
les of Rock Island Moline and East Moline,
deem that have its interest, welfare and advance
ment much at heart any of our neighbors Also
we lay claim to having just much personally at
stake since 1t IS this county that all property
IS located and it IS here that we have homes.
We do not hesitate to declare without equivocation
that the liquor question of the vital inn
Portance to the people and government of this
try, and we assert that it must be dealt with courag
eously, and, the time, in spirit of utmost
fairness with entire freedom from passion and preju
dice
Accordingly submit o the calm Judgment of
our fellow citizens with abiding faith in their
mon sense and their desire to do what is manly and
fair to all that the present prohibition agitation is:
\ menace to business interests.
a blow aimed at the growth and advancement of
this whole locality
An attack upon the liberty of the individual
\ misdirected effort to abuses which the
laws heretofore existing ample to if they
properly enforced
We further condemn this agitation, because
are convinced that its success would not have and
could have the results expected from it by those
promoting it; because we feel quite justified the
grounds of experience and observation, that prohib
tory laws and votes do not prohibit, that prohibition,
instead OF meaning temperance means IN all cases.
more intemperance. and that such legislation seeks
needeSSly to abr1dSe the personal wishes, rights and
liberties of many. We urge that such needless
abridgement engenders hatred and resentment, fos-
tiers general disregard of law and operates to make
aw-breakers out of many who otherwise law
abiding and that moreover it furnishes precedent for
further invasion of the wishes, rights and liberties of
the people, in pertaining appetite apparel
worship and recreation
In its aspect with regard to its relation to material
affairs also believe, prohibition is deterrent to
advancement, depreciates and destroys property
values while the other hand it increases taxation
takes from the community the revenue derived from
the liquor business discourages investments by in
creasing the ordinary timdity of capital, throws
many out of employment and actually drives large
numbers of citizens to seek homes elsewhere.
Accordingly, firmly of the opinion that the
solution of the great problem under considera
ton is be found not in prohibition in form
under guse, but in the of wise legislation, sup
p1emented BY laws if such found to be
qured bring about proper regulation of the liquor
business. BY such means, sure, the wishes of
the public will be most fully met and that constant
fear of having their business built up under existing
laws destroyed, and their accumuations of years
dissipated removed permanently from the minds of
those engaged in that line of trade.
In conformity with these views we make the fol
lowing
DECT - TT0NT