The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
SENATOR THOMAS
CHANGED HIS MIND.
Makes Unusual Speech In Unit
ed States Senate.
PROHIBITION IN COLORADO

Senator Thomas Voted Against State
wide Prohibition, Fearing Its Effect
on Business, but Says He Made
Mistake as the Change Has Been
Beneficial to His State In Every
Way.
Washington, D. C.-senator Thom-
as, of Colorado, speaking before the
United States Senate, told Of the ex-
perience of his state with Prohibi-
ton for one year:
"The state which I, in part, repre-
sent in this body, enacted Prohibi-
tion amendment to its Constitution
in 1914 to become effective on the
first day Of January, 1916. 1t has,
therefore, been in operation nearly
12 months, sufficiently long to JUS
tify me in laying before the Senate
some Of the results, not perhaps Of
Prohibition, but for the period in
which it has been effective upon the
material and moral condition Of the
commonwealth.
"I was much impressed, not only
during that, but in previous cam
paigns for Prohibition, with some of
the practical arguments or asser-
tions that. were made in opposition
to it. CONSEQUENTLY, I CAST
MY VOTE AGAINST THE AMEND
MENT.
"Some of those arguments or as
sertions, and perhaps 1 should call
them assertions rather than argu-
ments, predictions possibly might be
still better term, were, that Prohi-
bition would result in a general bust
ness depression in all lines of COM
mercial and industrial activities, that
it would result in throwing thou
sands of people out OF work, and leav-
ing many of the stores and business
buildings Of our large cities vacant.
"To that was added the assertion
that the revenue necessary for the
transaction of the states affairs and |
for the payment of the expenses Of
the administration would be largely
reduced as a result of Prohibition,
thus requiring an increase in our
rates of direct taxation in order to
meet the disbursements necessary in
the discharge of public business.
t"Whatever else may be said, I
think enough has occurred to justify
the conviction that none of the pro-
phesies to which I have called special
have materialized. On the
contrary, the development of the
state during the year 1916 in all the
elements of material and moral
growth and well-being, practically
stand without precedent in all pre-
vious history.
"T'here has been no general busi-
ness depression in Colorado since
went into effect. On the
contrary, as have stated, we have
enjoyed more prosperity, and wider
and more widely difrused
prosperity, than we have ever known.
That is verified in many ways. For
example, by the weekly report of
Dunn's and Brastreet's on every
ine of business, by the bank clear
ngs in the city of Denver, which is
The metropolis of the state, and
which have practically doubled, and
BY the unprecedented industrial ac-
5ivities throughout the state.
Regarding the question of its eff
feet upon the people, l MAY SAY
THAT OF THOSE WHO OPPOSED |
PROHIBITION IN 1914, I THINK
AM WITHIN BOUNDS WHEN II,
AFFIRM THAT so PER CENT OIL
THEM WOULD TODAY, IF TIE
QUESTION WERE AGAIN PRE-
SENTED FOR CONSIDERATION
FOR INSTEAD OF
AGAINST PROHIBITION.
"The fact that Prohibition is prac-
;ically successful in my state is per-
laps emphasized as strongly as in
my other way by the fact that botl
he great parties in 1916, for the first
fine in our political history, unequi-
IOcally endorsed the proposition"