The daily progressive-miner., 1916-06-05
TIME TO THINK.
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{ When the prohibition question was ! put up to the State of Washington t was impossible to make the busi. ness men of the State, especially the liquor dealers, themselves. believe that prohibition could possibly De put upon Washington that State never had been dry" consequently 1t never could be: the harkeep had been sell l ing booze all his life; consequently you could not convince him that he would ever be denied the right to sell malt or spirituous beverages in the State of Washington. For the senti-
 neng of the thing and for their reiuct- anee 10 say 8 word or do public act in opposition to the work of the wou- en and some of the ministers, prohi- bition was no, openly or by complete organization fought in Washington. The hreweries and the liquor men in creased their advertising in the local papers, more for prevention of those papers openly assisting prohibition than for work against it. The news papers took little part in the fight, nor caring 10 oppose generally the proposition and having no desire to support it. The business men and the liquor interests held 8 mammoth closed" meeting in Seattle one night to consider the proposition confront tng them. and it was the general sense of the meeting that tha tha.g mas 8 joke - that prohibition cos'ld never carry in Washington. aa9 jhat there was no need of fighting he theorists and visionaries wla,a se.is.vei shey could make the State ~dra George Butler. formerly of Fairbanks. stood up in the meeting and told those men that, let any crazy man stump the streets Of Seattle with any crazy idea that his erazed mind might evolve. continue 10 agita5e for his idea and be all the time unopposed by those vitally interested in seeing that no craziness creep into the system of things, and il is only 8 question Of lime until that man and his idea have . following. and that it is possible for such following to, unopposed. reach 8 strength which is sufficient 10 put thar crazy idea to work there And. the liquor men and the bus! ness men of Seattle laughed George zo scorn The result was prohibition in Washington
 Washington, like Alaska. was never intended 10 be dry. Their popula- lions and business interests as well as their ciFic interests. are against prohibition. let. they ARE dry 1T Washington. because the people did nor appreciate the danger and agAt for their own best interests The. are sorry now. and the nawspal,ers and the ministers of the local church, es are fighting the condition whte.l exists because they would nor aeht the danger when fl threatened Thoss same business men in February. U committee. waited upon George But fer and asked him fl he would nor 5ake charge of the work Of replacing Washington in the wet ranks. and he told them that he could not be in- duced 10 do so, easily. Rev. Matthews. Seattls's most popular minister. from rhe pulpit scores prohibition as it is working in Seattle. and as a workable civic proposition Cardinal Gibbons and many other noted dfvines also openly oppose prohibition upon any and every occasion.J The business
 len Of Seattle found our that Jus. what was told them would happen. did happen. with the coming or pro hibirion- They found out that the re daced revenues must be made np. and by themselves. and they are not do- ing il The city is heavily mortgaged and is jumping sideways for money 70 kec- ze.ng on Reduced revenues mean reduced paying power. fn every town and always. T. could not be otherwise Also. apathy and the neg lecr 10 do protective work in time spells ruin in ang camp--Fairbanks