The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-01-02
REAL PROHIBITION
|. IN NEW F0UNDLANO


st. Johns, N. F., Jan. 1.-At mid
night tonight the colony of New
foundland, which means the island
itself and the Atlantic seaboard of
Labrador, the latter being Deepen
dency and administered by it, auto
matically comes under the operation
of the most stringent prohibition law
that has ever been devised in the
world. This measure prohibits the
import, manufacture or sale of any
intoxicants whatever, for sacrament
al, medicinal or manufacturing pur-
poses.
The advocates of prohibition attach
great Importance to the fact that
Newfoundland is an island, and that
Labrador is a semi-arctic area, and
that because of these two facts it
will be possible to exert control over
imports which will give the measure
a greater chance of success than a
similar one could. have anywhere else
| in the world
Newfoundland is Also favored by
the fact that she is not province
| of the Canadian Dominion, because, if
SO, she would be unable to prevent the
import of liquor from other pro-
vinces, which is the difficulty at pres
ent existing in Prince Edward Island
with regard to so-called prohibition
enactment in force there. Theoretic-
| ally the sale of liquor is forbidden,
but inasmuch as the inter provincial
| statutes, like the interstate laws of
the United States, make it impossi-
BILE to restrict the importation of in
toxicants from other divisions of the
Confederacy, it is possible for par
ties to import into Prince Edward
Island from Nova Scotia, New Bruins
wick and Quebec, all of which pro-
vinces have connections Herewith.
liquor in large quantities, and thus
to minimize very greatly the effec-
tveness of the measure.
Such a condition will not exist in
Newfoundland, because she absolutely
controls her own affairs in every way
and can absolutely forbid the impor-
/ tation of any intoxicants and confis-
cate whatever may be attempted to
be imported in defiance of the laws.
r For forty years Newfoundland has
E been working toward the total pro-
/ hibition of the liquor traffic. The
t first steps were taken in the nature
of what is known as local option en-
t actments. These provide that any
township or district might put in
force by local vote law prohibit
ing the sale of liquor therein and
s gradually, under the operation of this
e measure, the whole country, except
: st. Johns, became subject to that
a regulation. St. Johns stands in a
: somewhat different position from the
: rest of the island, because it is the
: capital, a seaport, and has a large
: floating population, while it was also
: the scene of the business of import
s ing and distributing liquor through
v out the country.
It When the great world war begar
and Newfoundland had to take hel
n part there as section of the British
II Empire by enlisting men for nava
e and military service, which she vol
a unfairly did Immediately it broke out
e the sentiment for total prohibition
was greatly strengthened, and at the
: session of the legislature in April
1915, resolutions in favor of submit
ting the question to the people were
4 introduced and were accepted by the
q government without hesitation. Tht
question was therefore submitted tt
4 plebiscite vote on Nov. 8, 1915, anC
n resulted in an overwhelming major
u ity in favor of prohibition. Thirteen
4 months were allowed the liquor deal
4 ers in which to dispose of their stocks
4 on hand. The most of the dealers
q have already wound up their bust
q ness and Newfoundland is ready t.
4 start the year 1917 absolutely ''bon'
q dry"
4 Quebec Only Wet Province.
a Ottawa, Ont, Dec. 30.-In accord
4 ance with the decision of the people
4 as registered in the election a few
d weeks ago, the government liquo
a stores in Saskatchewan will be per
n manently closed tonight The effec
8 will be to place the province unde
5 total prohibition, as the government
I stores have been the only place
where liquor could be sold legally.
Summarized results of prohibitio
in Canadian provinces which went int