Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-02-01
CHAPTER Two.-(Continued)

vor, that neither OF the great po-
litical parties in this country has
ever had the sense or the courage
to come out for prohibition7 Why
doesn't the party that's in power
now come out for it2 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, SAC
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 over in
your mind. Picture what that
mortality is"
"SSayl' interjected Waller, the
drawl still in his voice, edo you
mean you want mt 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 I 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 subject? 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 are So
wrapped up in politics that the
politicians + 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, willi', Waller drawl elabor
ated the interview.
That's their funeral - not
mine!!' Smith waved his right
arm in careless fnality.
Also, suppose they become hos.
tile othe prohibition movement al
a result of this attack"
Smith struck the desk once with
his clenched hand.
Ah!" he declared, exultatior
in his voice. They don't dare
That's the remarkable part of this
business. They work for whisky
but they doit in the dark. They
fling q sop to the public conscience
and the public demand by abolish.
ing whisky and it's usein the CAPT
tol building, on Indian reserva.
tions, in the army and the navy
But they do the will Of the liquor
interests. when they say to thu
masses of the people We will not
destroy your privilege Of self de.
atrnction. Our soldiers and sailors
wewnl save. But yon--oh, you car
20 To the devil your own way.
Why, it would be Just as. reasona;
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