El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-11-08

MN #. NNM MWW NN <- NMN .fN" XWN4 |
Those men who nave already enlisted,
with the intention to give their lives II
necessary that liberty might survive, are
doing all that could be expected of them.
The "wcpld-be fighters at homo are do.
ing splendidly by their financial and per-
sonal aid, but there is now a chance to dis
| lay our patriotism-another call to arms.
that does not require us to shoulder a gun
or spend our money. Our country has en-
tered this war to win and If we, as a ma
4ion; expect her to do so, we must do our
utmost in helping In every possible way. 4
We have done a great deal, but there Is
no stopping row. We oversubscribed the
Liberty Loans, we have made great sacri-
fees fur the Red Cross and are now o ter
ing upon a campaign for the Y. M. g. a.
All this has been done with money. The
generous public is always ready to contrib
ute towards anything that will further our
cause, but we have now arrived at a point
v here we can render invaluable aid with
out shouldering a gun or being over-gen-
erous with our money. The result of tomor-
lows election will give some inkling as to
whether we are willing to continue wasting
thousands of dollars uselessly or turn this
yast revenue over to our government to
use in this time Of crisis. Conservation
must be the watchword of America, and
will New Mexico willingly refuse to prove
ler patriotism?
The revenue received by the United States
government from spirits and fermented IL
quors was more than $50 million dollars.
This has been increased as a war measure
to something like 400 million. This tre-
mendous tax is paid by those who drink.
Since the bone dry law has been passed
all states effected by this law are exempted
from paying a cent toward this 400 million
a-year tax; the burden falls upon the states
that remain wet. Twenty-Five states are now
bone dry and three or four become SO next
year, hence the payment of 400 million
dollars tax will be divided between the few
remaining wet states and the person who
claims a raise in taxes will follow in voting
a state dry finds himself on the wrong side
Of the fence. If we vote wet WI help pay,
while our neighbor Arizona will be exempt,
and can use the money otherwise.
1t is said that Germany does not consider
us very seriously. At the annual meeting
VI Lie tAnCliSdH uhCuiCoi doooSAotANh Aope
June, alcohol was declared to have no med
ical value and it's only use in medicine is as
a preservative. Now with the present rate
of its consumption, Prussianism probably
notes the fact that we, as a nation, use en-
tirely too much liquor. Hence her appar-
emit disdain for a race which might be con-
sidered in a state of MISREPRESENTATION. II
we are to win this war we cannot do it If
we stay picked"
But to com closer home and consider the
issue locally, we find a few facts that will
make the ordinary man sit up and think.
In october, Santa Fe received through the
different saloons, the following. 1900 bar
rels and over 400 cases of whiskey, besides
an enormous amount of gin and other fer
mented liquors. With So gallons to the
barrel we find Figuring barrels only about
Is thousand gallons Of whiskey in barrels
stored in our midst.
At a nominal price of SO per gallon this
amounts to 48 thousand dollars. Bear in
mind this is for barrel whiskey; with the
case goods 1t will amount to rs thousand or
even more. All this will be sold in the next
year or two and no benefit whatever will
be derived therefrom.
Could we but spend half that sum for
good roads, the other half for public i'm
p~rovements, Santa Fe would soon outgrow
her short skirts. Or if this money were
diverted into the city treasury, who has the
courage to say that taxes will be higher?
There is but one issue in America today
victory; She depends upon her individual
states to do their duty and each state re-
lies Upon her citizens, hence the RESPONSE
bility comes home to every voter--he must
use his vote to help weld this nation into
a mighty scapel that will carve Liberty
across the marble heart of Prussianism.
Ignoring the grief, the sorrow, the ruined
careers and tina wall of constant agony
that rises to heaven daily all caused by in
temperance, we should vote dry" for our
country's sake. Times are slowly changing,
it was once the general custom to burn peo
pie at the stake; a few centuries later
witches were drowned, and the prevail
ing fashion Of wrecking homes and making
men into beasts is fast loosing favor.
Therefore when we vote tomorrow, let US
take the nations cause to heart and if we
are true patriots, we cannot but vote
DRY"
PRO BONO PUBLICO.