The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-01-16
BAD YEAR FOR JOHN BARLEY.
CORN.
Which Has Been Going OH in The
United States.

Washington, Jan. 2.-Twenty Years
ago, sixteen million persons were liv-
ing in dry" territory in the United
States. Statewide prohibition was in
effect in three States. Elsewhere il
was regarded as doubtful expert
ment. Nationwide prohibition was
unthought Of then.
Today, IS per cent of the square
miles of area of the United States is
"dry." More than forty-nine million
persons are living in ''dIy'' territory.
Statewide prohibition has been estab-
lished in fourteen of our forty eight
States. Elsewhere the people of many
towns, townships and counties have
decided to dispense with the traffic in
alcoholic beverages, under local op-
ton. The movement 70: nationwide
prohibition has attained such strength
that it is recognized as one Of the
greatest issues before the country. For
the first time'i in history the question
has been voted on in congress, ma
jority of members of the house going
on record in favor of the now famous
HobsOn resolution, for an amendment
to the federal constitution prohibiting
the manufacture, importation and sale
Of all intoxicating beverages.
Such, in brief, is the story. of the
bloodless revolution which has been
going on in the United States-the
wonderful change in public opinion
which will eventually make the entire
country dry. 1t is not the result of any
increased moral wave. The power
which is working for the total aboli-
tion Of the alcohol traffic does not rest
in the hands of dreamers, fanatics or
cranks. The foes Of alcohol who are
delivering the most effective blows are
no long-haired, gOggle-eyed reformers
such as used to be pictured in the
comic sheets. The men and women
movement-big employers, manufac-
turers, mechanical men, farmers,
stOrekeepers, railroad men-all think
ing men and women in every walk of
life, who know that the drinking of
intoXicants destroys energy, shortens
life and is a burden upon American
citizenship, filling poorhouses, prisons
hospitals and insane asylums. There
is no prejudice about it, There are
good men who use intoXicants The
| fight Is not against them but against
the interests which make it possible
for them to get the poison and which
exploit them. taking advantage of hu.
man nature and capitalizing unnatural
appetite.
Brewers and Distillcrs Quit.
Stock in brewery and distillery com
panies can hardly be given away since
the national house OF representatives
took it's vote on the prohibition resolu.
ton. Some of the most prominent con
Germs are going out of business, having
seen the handwriting on the wall.
Things have changed in congress
For long time the liquor interests
did not feel that it was necessary &c
maintain lobbyists in Washington. Nc
attention was paid to the first resolu.
tion for nationwide prohibition .wher
1T was introduced some years ago
While efforts were made from time tc
time to compel interests on the part O,
the lawmakers, the resolutions al.
ways went back to the pigeonhole. But
the nationwide movement steadil,
gained force until there was no escap.
ing it The majority which was oh.
tanned in the house test last week. 197
TO lS9 votes, exceeded even the expec-
tations of the anti-saloon forces
though as two-thirds vote was neces-
sary for passage, it will not be posi-
Die to submit the question to the
States this year. 1t will come up again
at the next session and within a few
years the amendment to the constitu-
ton is certain to be adopted by the
States. Delay cannot help the selfish
interests concerned, for every year in
creases the popular opposition to the
traffic.
The majority Of the people Of this
country have banished the saloons
from their neighborhoods Saloons
are now concentrated i'm the cities, and
in the toughest parts of the big cities.
The breweries and distilleries have
more barroOms i'm New York city than
there are in thirty-siX of the States.
and more in Chicago than i'm all the
territory south of Mason and DiXon's
line. The cOnSrcsSmer who voted
against the Hobson resolution were