Valdez daily prospector., 1916-11-06
ALCOHOL TO 'ReeEWE
 SENTENCE

Tomorrow the voters of Alaska will ballot for men to guide the affairs of State for the next two years.
 The election of November 2. 1916. has a great issue at stake and that Is. the abolishing of the great life and property destroying liquor trafic. We believe that the men and women of Alaska will vote against this rank de- ceiver out of their own full experience with 1t for 1t passes none by.
 This opportunity Is one that has long been waited for and Is enough to make us glad. The liquor traffic must go if men and women of this community do their duty.
 The day will be of special interest to both friends and foes of the liquor traffic, because in seven states, and Alaska, the voters will render their verdict upon the policy of prohibiting the liquor traffic, while in many other states the matter will be before them in various forms. If, as we have ev- cry reason to believe, that verdict Is against the liquor traffic. and in favor of the home, we shall have made a tremendous stride forward in the war fare against the deadly foe of human ity, strong drink. For so closely as- sociated are we with those in other lands who are fighting the same foe, that every time we strike a blow here for freedoms cause, the echo of that blow is carried across the painless oceans and brings cheer to the hearts of workers there who are battling against great odds for freedom from alcoholism. Therefore, upon the vo- ters in the Territory which will de- eide the question tomorrow rests c heavy responsibility, because of the far-reaching results of their action.
 It is the duty of every man or wom- an to so exercise the power of citizen ship that his or her vote will tend to promote the general welfare, happi- ness and prosperity of community. state and nation. This republic was organized to establish and protest. It has tried to render null and void all laws that have been enacted for it's regulation and suppression. Every good citizen should be found in tho ranks of the mighty army marching against 1t, so that by the efforts of a united organized citizenship 1t may be overturned and outlawed upon the soil of Alaska. This action should be taken because the Liquor Traffic is a Crime Producer.
 Scientific research has shown con- clusively that the intoxication which alcohol produces is marked by conse- quences to the mind. the body, the moral feelings, and injurious and dangerous acts that follow upon the use of no other drug. The conditions under which crime depends so direct ly upon drunkenness that the crime would not be, or would not have been committed, were not intoxication an antecedent, and in most cases actually enough. Every prison in the land bears true testimony on this subject. Yet the defenders of the liquor traf- fc are continually disputing about this relationship But the official re- port of the Massachusetts commission to investigate drunkenness contains IT. Sfe1lqyiAutshsolute proof:
 |fs3 2pghie to estimate in dol t4Sg 6Al 6AS the yearly cost of drpnksnHeea sxn. the commonwealth. The expenditure for penal treatment is but a small fraction of the total. cost, yet the expense arising from 63.4 per cent of all arrests, and 67.6 per cent of all commitments to prison made during the year U912) togeth- CT with a considerable percentage of the cost of probation, trial and trans portation of prisoners is due to pub lie drunkenness. Moreover. the in- temperate use of alcohol Is directly resppnsible for many other criminal alle6oe swhich are brought into the ptatistics from various sources
 5p that at least one-third of
 sna (aside from public drunken oadirectly occasioned by the use l& S3etAol. Massachusetts prison sta show that 96 per cent of all IT 1Sn3s in our prisons were iptem- 6lA6by habit" With these startling | Dtjcated facts before him no
 lEixen can afford to shoulder the % 1aibility for the continuation of
 producing cause.
 en TT OUT.
 fl&A&sz Adv.