The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-02-05

elSnteen northern STATES ana terri
tories that went dry between 1856
and 1907, only four remained so
In the South on the other hand
only one Of the nine prohibition
states has suffered relapse, and now
she returns to the fold, The Evening
Post goes on to say:
Since 1907, when Georgia led off
nine Southern states (including Ari-
zona) have legislated out the saloon
Alabama is the only one that reversed
her stand. Her law of 1908 was re-
pealed in 1911. 1t is true that in a
number of states the laws are so re-
cent that opposition has scarcely had
time to organize, but attempts at re-
peal have failed in Georgia, Mississippi
and Tennessee. Southern antisaloon
territory tends constantly to enlarge
one of the measures scheduled for the
present South Carolina legislature is
prohibition. Whether a marked growth
of Southern industrial centers to bring
about repetition of the North's check.
cred record on this question, the flu
ture will perhaps tell"
Alabama's Goverenor-elect, Charles
Henderson, according to the Montgom-
cry Advertiser, was elected by ma
jority of 10000 votes because he ia
vored local option and opposed state
wide prohibition, his defeated oppon-
ent being former governor B. B. Conner
who advocated prohibition and was
supported by the Anti-saloon League.
But such was the strength of the pro-
hibition forces in both branches of
the legislature that the new prohibi-
ton law went through with a majority
so large that a gubernatorial veto is
said to be futile.
Governor-elect Henderson protests
that the will Of the people is being
thwarted by steam-roller methods, and
as the Alabama papers which reach
us are chiefly from the wet" counties
we do not lack editorial echoes of this
charge. Thus in the Montgomery Adj
vertiser We read that the prohibition
measure will effect financial revo-
luton in every county which voted for
licensed saloons in a local option cleo
tion." These counties numbered only
eight, in contrast to fifty-nine dry
counties, but they contained the prin-
cipal cities of the state. The day be-
fore the bill was passed, The Adver-
tiser said:
THE present Legislature is appar-
emily determined to subordinate every
other problem of state, every other is
sue of government, to the arbitrary
handling of one question which affects
only few counties of the state.
The committee and the legislature
with justice, should hear the presenta-
ton of the sides of the municipalities
and counties which have their financial
budgets based in part upon the rev
enue gained from the licensed saloons.
The radical changes sought to be eff
fected will be most keenly felt in such
cities as Montgomery, Birmingham and
Mobile, cities which now have to
strain every nerve to meet their debts.
Again, this far-reaching bill means
the practical confiscation of hundreds
of thousands of dollars worth of pro-
in lAh Z. |, i
truction of stocks of goods in which
thousands and thousands of dollars
have been invested 1t means further
more the throwing out of employment
of many thousands of people in Ala
bama, at a time when there is no EN-
ployment market. To deal this blow
at this time is to put the finishing
stroke on business conditions already
weak and lettering"
Another Alabama paper, the Selma
Times, remarking that "a law fragrant
ly flouted by a whole cityful of people
becomes menace to all law" goes on
to suggest that all may not yet be
clear sailing for the prohibitionists:
The writer counted fourteen sal
oons on Commerce street, Montgomery,
when Conner was governor, and the
most drastic prohibition statutes that
ever emanated from the wit and inge-
nuity of a legislative body were the
solemn law of the state. Mr.. A. H.
Carmichael also carried the temper
ance banner in those ingloriious days.
and Mobile and Birming-
ham openly defied Mr.. Conner and that
bellicose statesman had to
capitulate.
Here's hoping that prohibition in
1915 will bear no resemblance to pro-
nibition in 1907"
The Nashville Tennessean, however,
has faith in her neighbor states ability
TO CLOSE up the saloons and drive
he liquor traffic from the state" and
A..