The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-02
PROHlBITIONISTS SHOULD BE
 SET RIGHT SAYS COL. RUPERT

the States that have tried prohibition and rejected it should furnish 8 les son for the present-day prohibition. Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Della ware, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New ork, Pennsylvania are among the States which passed and adopted prohibition laws, but none of them remained in the prohibition column any length of time except Maine. And the prohi bitionist can draw very little consola- ton from Maine. There we have the bowling exhibition of the hypocrisy and inef1cacy of prohibition. Not even the slightest pretense is made in some parts of Maine to enforce the prohibition law, and every political campaign in that State has for one of ktS prominent questions the failure to enforce prohibition Some of its fore most citizens are frequently heard de- nouncing the law as a sham and fraud
 "For half "a century sincere men and women and insincere men and women, statesmen and politicians have Sndeavored to. enforce prohfbi- ton laws, but all their efforts furnish only a long record of failure. Liquor has been and is being dispensed in all States where pr ohibition laws exist, and crime, pauperism and insanity have been just as prevalent as in States whereeit is sold ender license,
 
 between most of the prohibition States and those where the traffic is carried on under license except in the question of revenue, In the former, no revenue is derived unless it is col 1ecteS by the hypocriticaI and indirect method of using a penal statute for a tax measure, while in the latter a stated sum is obtained by the State for the privilege of traf1chng in li- quors and the traffic is carried on un- der certain restrictions.
 f'The members of the New York State Brewers association aim to place and maintain the brewing in dustry and every other business to which its comm odity is supplied up- on a sound commercial and economic basis, and to deserve the good opinion of the public. They recognize the dangers that Turk in the abuse of the saloon and are willing and anxious to join in any movement which will eliminate and avoid those abuses. In the course of our deliberations we will again take up and consider the campaign for the suppression of gam bling and disorderly conduct in I- censed places and also a method for eliminating and keeping places clos ed which caznot be iprodtably ope< rated. The consistent and vigorous prosecution of this work will be one of the most important matters for the consideration of the brewers in this Convention. I know that the brew CTS may be depended upon to take up and carry out any plan which will promote the legitimacy and bring about an improvement in the traffic in liquors. Much good may be looked for from their continued efforts to suppress objectionable places A most efficient and practical agency for erad- fcating the evils and avoiding the vices which may associate themselves with the use of liquor, is found in the New York Liquor Tax Law The proper enforcement of this law will bring about a tone and standard in the conduct of saloons, restaurants and hotels which will leave T1o req sonable ground for complaint about the manner in which liquor is dis pensed in licensed premises. Further more, the men engaged in the retail business may be depended upon to do their share toward purifying and ele- vating the business in which they are, engaged. The legitimate retail deal CTS have shown every willingness to co-operate in any work which has for it's purpose the correction Of the abuses and the improvement of the Ncondition of the saloon Their as- sociations have done splendid work in connection with the Brewers Asso- citation in defending and promoting the legitimate interests of the liduos traffic in this State and we have been fortunate at times in having their cooperation ip some of the work which has been necessitated for the good of the business in general.
 t'In conclusion, I believe the sent1- ment of the brewers is stated when say, that the traffic in liquors legiti- mate1yS conducted is a business which exists in response to a lawful and proper demand of the public and that it should have the consideration and protection that is afforded to amy other business. It should receive no special favors or privileges but, it is entitled to a square deal. The brew CTS have no complaint to make about. genuine efforts for reform but they depiore and denounce all agitation founded upon selfish motives and sim ister purposes of individuals or asso-' citations of individuals.