The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1917-02-08
CHAPTER TWO.--(Continued)

"Why is it." began Smith, the
embodiment of emphasis and fer
vor, that neither of the great po-
litical parties in this country has
ever had the sense or the courage
to come out for prohibition? Why
doesn't the party that's in power
now come out for it? We hear a
lot Of stuff about the evil corpor-
atoms grinding down the masses
Of the people. We read whole col
umns every day about the high
cost of living, the education Of the
young, and a world peace. We are
asked again and again to fight
against the ravages Of tuberculo-
sis and to cut down the death rate
from cancer. Those things are not
a drop in the bucket with the
death rate, the crime, the poverty,
and the women's tears that are
caused by whisky"
He put his hand on Walters
shoulder for greater emphasis.
"Mr. Waller" he said, "ac-
cording to the best figures obtain
able, alcohol is killing off every
year as many Americans as there
have been men killed in many of
the great wars of the world in the
last 1000 years. Roll that owe in
your mind. Picture what that
mortality is"
a"Say!" interjected Waller, the
drawl still in his voice, edo you
mean you want ME to quote you
as attacking directly the party
now in power for not coming out
for this constitutional amendment
for nation wide prohibition?"
The reply was instantaneous.
Most certainly [ do! The big
parties and the big leaders of this
country have enough to say about
every other conceivable subject
under the sun. What l want to
know now, and what the public
has a right to know now, is why
this party has failed to declare
itself either way on the issue.
Why are they immune from the
charge of cowardice when they
run away from the subject2 There
must be a reason for this silence
in places so high, in places from
which come great pronounce
ments about everything else that
touches, or is supposed to touch,
the public welfare. What is it?
That's what | want explained to
me-"
MAKE that a little more direct,
a little more succinct," suggested
the newspaper man, his attention
utterly absorbed.
Lets determine" complied
Smith, whether the saloon and
the influence of the saloon + so
wrapped up in politics that the
politicians are afraid to go against
it. Let's ascertain why men will
not vote down a traffic on behalf
of which all of them are afraid to
lift their voices in public advo-
cacy."
And suppose they refuse to no.
tice this challenge, as they proba-
bly, will?" Walters drawl elabor-
ated the interview.
That's their funeral - not
minep' Smith waved his right
arm in careless finality.
Also, suppose they become hos
tile to the prohibition movement as
a result of this attack?"
Smith struck the desk once with
his clenched hand.
"Ah!" he declared, exultation
in his voice. "They don't dare.
That's the remarkable part of this
business. They work for whisky,
but they do it in the dark. They
fling a sop to the public conscience
and the public demand by abolish
ing whisky and its use in the CAPT
tol building, on lndlan feSerVa-
tons, in the army and the navy.
But they do the will of the liquor
interests when they say to the
masses of the people: We will not
destroy your privilege of self de-
struction. Our soldiers and sailors
we will save. But you-oh, you can
go to the devil your own way.
Why, it would be just as reasona,
BILE for the government to pass a
law licensing butchers and grocers
to sell consumers a certain amount
of typhoid germs every year!'
Waller knew his Washington
Back of his drawl and his cane and
his air of boredom was a rare dis
cernment, a fine eye for the reaI
forces in life. He had learned the