The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-08-23
PROGRESSIVE
PROHIBITION

PROGRESSIVE
PROHIBITION
II was bound to come. The presi-
dent of the Non-Smokers' Protective
league of America has addressed an
omen letter to President Wilson pro-
testing against giving tobacco in any
form to American soldiers and pray
ing that the cultivation of tobacco be
nrohibited because the land should
food. He calls supplying to-
baeco to soldiers a crime and abuses
tho American Red Cross for being a
marty TO it. Were Mr.. Pease not an
earnest fanatic his letter might be
construed as a parody of the argu-
ments of he extreme prohibitionists.
He thinks tobacco is as bad as whisky
and asks President Wilson to put
them in the same class.
Cynics say that human beings
crave a certain amount of abuse or
imposition. If they find themselves
free they proceed to fetter themselves
lust to feel miserable. Under an au-
tocratic government the people are
free to drink, to smoke, to dance and
IN sin. An ~autocracy understands
the distinction between crime n sin
and leaves the latter to the private
conscience and the church. When the
people govern themselves they legis-
late against sin as well as crime, and
then proceed to regulate tastes n
habits as well as acts that oncern
the public.
Americans are free to do whatever
they please in the collective sense.
They can change the form of gov
eminent by marking their ballots.
Having gained such liberty, they have
at all times since the Revolution
shown fondness for restricting the
liberty of the individual. At various
times and places in the United States
the use of tobacco in some or all
forms has been prohibited. Restrie-
lions on the use of spirituous and
fermented beverages have taken every
imaginable form. Only the Constitu-
ton of the United States has stood
in the way of the establishment 81
religious tests and the prescription Of
certain forms of religious worship il
some states.
The Governor of a certain State oil
the Union now declares that he wit
not appoint to office a member Oh
adherent of a certain Christian church
that counts it's members in this coun-
try by the tens of thousands; and
incidentally, he holds up Bismarck
as his guiding star in this policy, says
the New York Commercial. We mus
have organized self-control, but why
treat ourselves as children?
Thomas jefferson understood the
difference between sin and crime, anC
the reason for ignoring private sin!
and Furnishing crimes against thu
state. Sin is a violation of conscience
crime is violation of law. Mr.. Peas
has a right to think, and he therefor,
enjoys the personal privilege of be
lieving that it is sinful to smoke; Blu
he has no right to make smoking
crime, and neither has a 90-per-cen
majority Of the people.
Carried to its logical conclusion
such legislation will destroy persona
liberty. The next step will perhap
be to make it a crime to eat garlic >
onions. The prohibition craze vii
yet reach foods, cards, amusements
clothes. and other personal affairs, j
our lawmakers continue to surrende
Internationally to every group of fad
dists that sets up a lobby in the ma
tional or state capitals. They we ms
welcome an autocrat in order to re
gain a little personal liberty 0
thought and action.
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