Cheyenne record., 1917-01-18


ing liquor advertisements. The one
who so thinks is in company of those
who hold that theaters are highly OBJ
jectionable and their advertisements
should be suppressed, that dancing is
highly Objectionable and all adver-
tisements of such should be suppress
ed. A thousand and one things rep
resenting differences OF opinion could
as properly be prohibited from finding
place in the advertising space of the
newspapers.
The bill in question in effect forbids
the use of the mails to newspapers that
carry liquor advertisements-the re-
sponsible conductor of the newspaper
being made liable to fine or imprison-
ment or both. The trainers of this
precious piece of legislation do not
seem to appreciate the fact that once
the entering wedge Of interference with
the freedom OF the press is used there
would follow further interferences in
the sphere of freedom of conscience
and freedom of political expression
and classes OF business advertisement
other than liquor.
The bill hits not at the brewers
or the purveyors of liquor, but at
the newspapers.' Its apparent
design is to limit debate upon the
virtues of prohibition.
The sponsors for the bill must hold
that the liquor advertisements have
weight against their propas a :das, e's,
why the legislation?. OF course the
avowed purpose do not cover settled
animus against the agencies of intelli-
gence. Their are many who hold this
feeling toward the newspapers because
they have thrown the light upon acts
or the records of this, that or the 9TH
er person and thereby have made enc
mics in the cause of righteousness by
the score. Hence this class of persons
hold that if one can brandish u toma-
hawk over the heads of the newspapers
in the glare of Congress, at once all
the tribes of the offended ones will
take up the war cry with u whoop for
the bill. Prosecution pure and simple
not morality, is the basis of the pro-
posed legislation. The measure car
ries no ethical Implications, for there
crn be very little harm done by liquor
advertisements in dry territory, If the
territory is actually dry. .
Where prohibition cannot win by
open and approved means, the news
papers are to be renalized By such un
derhand and disingenious legislation
as the proposed bill. 1t is u wonder
that the friends of this legislation have
never thought of the boomerang effects
of such enterprise. There are multi
tudes of persons who stand for prohi-
bit'on VINO do not stand for tapping
the tills of the newspapers as punish
ment to them for falling in all instan-
ces to support the propaganda. There
are hundreds of persons who would
vote for the cause on merit who will
he turned away from it If it adopts the
proposed tactics.
The measure is condemned in puSli:
intelligence because il does not harm the
ones against whom it is professedly di-
rected--the brewer; because it assails
the freedom of the press, which is the
freedom of the people; because it repre-
senss TACTICS that are discreditabe; be-
cause it is u dangerous innovation,
and because it is inspired by general
animus against newspapers. Hence
the measure should be and is likely to
be killed by Congress. Let prohibit
ton win or lose upon legitimate
grounds is the view held by the major
ity of the people. .ff .. rs