The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-08-11
ECONOMIC VALUE
OF PROHIBITION

ouiHe months ago the MANUFACTURE
ers' Record published a report show
ing how more than one hundred Of the
foremost iron and steel concerns of
the central west were vigorously
working to suppress the use Of alcohol
by their men when off duty. These
concerns, representing a billion dol
lars or more of capital and employing
several hundred thousand men, are
aggressively at work, from the econ
omic as well as from the moral stand
point discouraging in every way pos
sible drinking in any form on the part
Of their people. Following the work
which the railroads of the country are
doing in safeguarding the running of
trains by their refusal to employ men
who drink when off duty as well as
when on duty, comes this action Of the
iron and steel people. The country is
waking up to the economic waste of
the liquor traffic, which is one Of the
greatest burdens that this nation has
to carry.
With the north and west taking
such an active part in seeking to les
sen this waste, through the effort Of
such organizations to increase the eff
cheney and the character of their peo-
pie by inducing them to leave of the
drink habit, it becomes even more vi
tally important than heretofore that
the south should aggressively work
along similar lines in order to develop
the efficiency of its people. Prohibi-
ton has been put into effect in many
states of the south, but in some of
them the laws have not until recently
been vigorously enforced. 1t has been
claimed by the advocates of the liquor
traffic that business would be injured
and that prohibition in the larger
towns and cities Of the country would
lessen business prosperity. This is
the lowest point of view from which to
conider the question; but even studied
from that side it win be seen that the
facts are absolutely against this con-
tention.
To suggest that drunkenness and
immortality and full jails and peniten-
tiaries by reason of whiskey are a
business advantage to a community
is so groundless as scarcely to deserve
any consideration. Letters to the Man
ufacturer's Record from various parts
of the south have indicated that only
one line of business in this section Of
the country has been injured by this
more rigorous enforcement Of the pro-
hibition law, and that is the number
of convicts has been seriously lessened
All other business interests outside of
those connected with the liquor traffic,
have been bettered. If it is desired to
increase the number of convicts there
is no surer way, judged by what has
already been seen, than to restore the
liquor traffic to power.
Leading daily papers Of the country,
some Of which were in times past Wig
orously opposed TO prohibition, have
been completely converted in favor Of
prohibition by reason Of a remarkable
decrease in the number Of convicts,
the better moral condition of the COM
munity and also by the general bust
ness prosperity.
An illustration Of this change and of
the present recognition of the import
ance of prohibition as an economic as
well as moral factor, is given in this
issue in an interesting letter from Mr..
e. w. Barrett, editor of the Age Her
aid, Birmingham, Ala. We commend
the facts in this letter to the earnest
consideration of every man in the
south interested in the welfare of this
section, whether he has heretofore
been believer in prohibition or not.
Baltimore Manufacturers Record