Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-29
DAVENPORT HELD
AS DRY EXAMPLE
Speakers in First Anti.Dry Meeting in
Present Rock Island Campaign Say
Iowans Are Losing Business.
CONGRESSMAN TALKS
Jacob E. Meeker Declares That Atti-
titude Of American Mind Must Be
Changed, But Can't Be By Vote.

Changed, But Can't Be By Vote.
Business loss to Davenport mer-
chants was held as a resulting exam
pie of alleged" prohibition by speak
ers at the first anti-dry meeting of the
present local option campaign in Rock
Island.
Hon. Jacob E. Meeker, Missouri con-
gresham, speaking at the Illinois the
atre last night, pointed to conditions
in Davenport as right at home" argu-
ment favoring the regulated saloon.
Fourteen thousand dollars week,
$4,000 day, is spent in Rock Island
by 1Owans since the saloons were
closed in that state. Every dollar of it
is velvet And in less than six
months there will be spent in this city
100000 month by people from
across the river" Mr.. Meeker said
During the month of February
tailor here sold SO suits of clothes
February of last year he took orders
for 49, Quite a contrast. And AZ Of
these suits went to Davenporters"
Mr.. Meeker's principal argument
against prohibition is his claim that
it does not prohibit, that 1T lays the
way open for "bootleggers" and blind
pigs that it increases crime and
drunkenness, and that it paralyzes
| business.
He declared in his opening remarks
that he intended discussing the issue
from a practical standpoint. Among
other arguments he pointed to condi-
tons in dry cities and states, giving
data from them to show that blind
pigs and illicit distilleries increased
He burlesqued the drys in action and
words, and during his talk made the
following statements:
IF you ever had chance to put it
over on Davenport good and strong,
you've got it now.
Bitterness Missing.
Il am glad to note that the bitter
ness which existed in the campaign
of two years ago here is not manifest
ed now 1t shows that the people are
waking up.
"If the profit had been taken out of
the anti-saloon league for its leaders
prohibition would have died 20 years
ago.
THE country is struggling along
under wave of 'nonsensicalness.
What is it that the people like in the
theatre? Is it vaudeville or is it the
'Follies of 1916? You know what the
'Follies' is. It's the daughters of Eve.
Same in the churches. What is the
popular thing in the churches? It's
Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday is the
'Follies' of the churches-only worse.
He's more vulgar. We've got to get
back to the normal, to the legitimate
theatre and to the regular churches.
prohibition in its last stages is des-
potism which will drive men to revo-
luton. When people really realize
what prohibition is leading to there
will be revolution-not of bullets, but
of ballots The drys are blasting at
the foundation of this government
liberty
Il believe more girls are driven to
hell by woman's tongue than by the
glass.
You're wet or dry, not the way you
vote, but the way you live. You say
you can't just vote for the saloons.
Then you vote for the blind pig
You can't vote away mans desire
| for glass of beer. You can't vote
away human nature. You're bucking
against an impossibility. You've got
, to change the attitude of the American
mind. If the ministers would exert a
fraction of the energy in exposing the
disreputable saloons that they exert
for prohibition they would accomplish
great deal more good than they are"
J. L. Haas Speaks.
il. Haas, president Of the Munich
pal League of Rock Island county, pre-
sided. Several selections were rem
dered by an orchestra and local trio
sang. The main floor of the theatre
was we'll filled with men and women.
Mr.. Haas made short address. He
referred to the situation in Davenport
and declared that the chief of police
Of the Iowa city had told him that the
work of the department had increased
tenfold since Jan l, when the saloons
were closed. He referred to the dec
laration Of the mayor of Aledo who
last week said that $4,000 had been
spent in Is months for bootleg"
whisky in that city, and pointed to the
science and bravery exhibited in the
European war as manifestation of
what men in countries which have reg
ulated saloons can do when the test
comes.
Mrs Minona Jones Of Chicago speaks
at the Illinois theatre tonight on why
the American Woman Should Favor
Temperance Instead Of So-Called Pro-
hibition." DR.. W. A. Gardner speaks
at the Illinois Saturday night.