The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-04-20

The Other Side, published by the
! National Wholesale Liquor Dealers
Association, favors a trial of the pro-
posed =bone dry" law, which is to be
the final test of prohibition. The
Other Side says
1t now appears that the dry states
of this nation are to have a form Of
prohibition, beginning July l, 1917, that
will really prohibit
This promised condition was made
possible by the passage of the Reed
Amendment as rider TO the Postoftice
Appropriation bill. This news is well
coined by all of those forces which be-
lieve that license and regulation offer
the only practical solution OF the So
called liquor problem.
Members of the Anti-Saloon League,
in charge of legislation in Washington
were bitterly opposed to this measure
and fought it's enactment as being too
drastic and likely to produce a reac-
ton in favor of license and regulation.
Following the passage of this amend
ment, pursuing their usual devious and
inconsistent methods, the great Dry
Lobby at the National Capitol tried to
claim that this bone dry measure
was of their own making and was op-
posed by the distillers and liquor deal
ers Of the United States. Of course,
these paid agitators knew better, but
it served their purpose to pervert the
real facts and-in keeping with their
usual custom-claim and advertise all
forms of. sumptuary legislation as their
own victory As for the Wholesale
liquor dealers themselves, they have
not only advocated In the past. but
welcome In the immediate future, any
form Of prohibition that will really
prohibit, believing that the same will
offer the only possible proof OF wheth-
er or not this form of sumptuary legis-
lation is practical or impractical.
In support OF this statement. it In
only necessary to refer back TO the call
issued by the National Wholesale
Liquor Dealers Association for the
twenty-nrst annual convention OF that
organization nj Louisville. Ky. in 1916.
This paragraph follows:
I'VE believe that the exceptional
drunkard is the greatest asset OF The
Anti-Saloon League and the heaviest
liability of the National Wholesale
Liquor Dealers Association, and that
this Same rare drunkard has proved
tie biggest factor In creating an un-
just and unwarranted sentiment In
mlstaking the abuse of natural stmI-
lants for that proper and moderate use
which has existed since the earliest
times OF which we have any record"
heretofore. prohibition has been pro-
hibitlon In name only. Dry states re-
lieyed in the past OF all proper regula.
ton produced pitiable conditions. Pro.
hibition laws were openly violated and
contempt for all law was common
result.
This country has had so-called pro-
hibition for great many years. Maine
was the first state to adopt prohibit
ton In 1851. While this has been
dry" state since that time, this par.
ticular form of prohibition has become
a national joke. Only few months
ago. 1913 wide open bars were closed
In Bangor alone, for limited number
of hours. during n recent strike.
sFor this reason prohibition, as evil
deneed by the oldest dry state in the
nation, has never been given any real
opportunity TO establish its advisable
ftv pra ~ faa hflifu
1t has always been possible TO vote
dry and drink wet As a result. there
has been no possible chance of secur-
ing any real voice OF the people. In
this connection many of the prohibit
ton states were voted dry by act of
legislature and without the people be
ing given any opportunity To declare
themselves
One OF the rOst drastic provisions
OF the bone dry amendment provides
that no letter. postal card, newspaper
pamphlet, or publication Of any kind
containing any advertisement of spir
ituous, vinous. matted, fermented or
other intoxicating liquors OF any kind.
or containing solicitation OF an order
or orders for said liquors. or any of
them shall be deposited in or carried
by the mails OF the United States.
The newspapers of the country
showed a strange Indifference during
the progress OF the hearings of this
measure, which is now conceded by
many OF the leading journals to be the
first step towards the censorship of the
free press OF this country. Now that
the shackles have been placed upon
these newspapers they are beginning
10 appreciate its far-reachins effect.
This makes an advertisement which
is lawful In New York. for example
unlawful II this journai-.is mailed %