Arizona republican., 1917-01-18

discussion of egalized liquor traffic now is not
of more popular concern in Arizona than debate
about the dodo but such discussion is not
without interest in points of view that may be de-
veoped But the subject of the liquor traffic is still
a California and sensible opponents of pro-
hibition endeavoring to awaken those who are
more directly concerned in the maintenance of the
liquor traffic to the fact that the menace of prohibit
ton instead of being dssipated grows darker and
with each defeat.
c. K McClatchy editor of the Sacramento Bee,
has written page article on this subject under the
title of Saloon Reformation or Saloon Extermna-
ton" Mr.. McCatchy demands rather more than
reformation of the saloon. 1t must be thrown over
board unless California a of prohibition
to sweep the state.
He points that the greatest damage to the
liquor traffic has not been wrought by the nominal
proprieors disreputable joints but by the large
brewers dstilers wholesalers who give out inter-
views deprecating the evils of the low saloons and
then quietly own them or sell them liquors and en-
courage them to sell as much possible.
municipalities too, he says, largely responsible
for the spread of prohibition sentiment They clap the
lid the low joints of the Barbary Coast whose
habtues already ruined, where is
for the reason ruin has accomplished
before has descended to that level But the
looms of the higher class the gded palaces, the cafes
undsturbed protected. 1t is there that down.
fall begins.
There are, Mr.. McClatchy asserts. two classes of
prohibitonsts the uncompromsing prohbitionist who
insists that the liquor traffic in all it's forms be
destroyed Standing alone he is a negligible quantity.
He is no more numerous than he fifty years
but the saloons have driven his aid the citizen
the occasional prohibitionist" conscien
scruples regarding the liquor filled
with anger and disgust the conduct of saloon
and joins the crusade to wipe it out. He cannot
it, it will not reform itself There nothing
to do but destroy it.
Those who rely on the $4,000 majority that San
Francisco cast against prohibition last fall. Mr. Nc
Clasky against sense of Security. He reminds
them that that majority will dwindle in the face of
the disorderly breaking saloon the greatest
southern part of the the prohibition
ment is growing stronger year by year Eventually
the San Francisco vote will be overwhelmed. Unless
there is jettsoning of the saloon, Mr.. McClatchy
believes that four years will find California dry.
1t the saloon that made Arizona dry-first
the saloon in politics There was time when no
other business in the territory was strongly in
trenched behind laws because other business had
tried to enrench itself Forty yeats ago ordinance
was adopted in this city for the special protection of
the saloons. 1t thought that they would
against even slightly restrictive legislation Some of
the saloon keepers had sense enough to yield to
pressure later but the laws for their regulation
often disregarded evaded. Instead of wedding
the saloons which made trouble the saloon keepers
were banded together for their protection When the
Royal Arch formed. the death warrant of the
liquor traffic in Arizona was signed