Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-31
EXPECT PENNA.
TO GO DRY SOON
Undismayed by Defeat of Local
Option Bill, Prohibition
Forces See Victory
BY ALLEN SUTHERLAND

Even the most superficial readers of
our current newspapers must be aware
of the frequent references in them to
the remarkable activities of the great
Prohibition movement, and the impress
sive gains it is making throughout the
! country. The demand for "A Saloon
less Nation and a Stainless Flag" is
no longer the chimerical dream of a
few enthusiastic Missionaries, but
thoughtful citizens c-~rywhere are now
giving voice to the same sentiment; and
! judging by the marvellous DEVELOPMENT
of the movement within the past few
years. there seems to be every reason
for believing that the end of the saloon
is near and that within a few years
throughout the length and breadth of
our land the sale of whisky as a beV-
erage viii be unknown.
In spite of the grip, which the whis-
ky interest seems to have upon it.,
Pennsylvania is far from being in a
discouraging position. With eleven dry
counties already within the fold and
with aggressive work being done for
the temperance cause in all parts of
the state, it is hoped that this great
commonwealth, ever foremost as a
rule, in good works, will not be the
last to join in the triumphal process
sion which is sweeping forward, WITH
every increasing momentum, to nation
wide prohibition.
In the city of Philadelphia workers
for the cause of Prohibition are cease
less in their efforts to advance its in
terests. A writer in a leading daily
newspaper recently said: "At no time
in the course of many years has every
act and every utterance of judges in
our Liquor License Court been watch
ed more closely than now on the part
of men and women who are hostile to
the saloon and who are interested in
discrediting the existing license sys-
tenn in order to open the way for Pro-
hibition."
And here is another suggestive Sign"
of the times: Because her husband died
from wounds received while drunk,
from falling out of a saloon, a Phila-
delphia woman was recently awarded
the sum of $4,000 by a court, which is
to be paid by the saloonkeeper. This
- as it should be- and will go far to-
wards checking the pernicious influence
OF the whisky traffic. 1t is only mat
ter of the most common justice to make
the saloon responsible for the results
of its nefarious business.
The pastor of a Methodist Episcopal
Church in Philadelphia recently opened
his sermon with these words: Last
week an old throne used by the Chi
nese emperors sold for 1926. That Is q
very good value to place on such an
article, but America is losing it's taste
for such commodities and places very
little values on them Old John Bar
leycorn has reigned for many years,
but is tottering, and when his throne
is sold, ten years from now, it won't
bring more than thirty cents. And he
will have earned such a reputation by
that time that even his best friends of
to-day will consider that amount more
than the throne is worth"
The strong Presbyterian Church,
through its Temperance Board, which
Is located in Pittsburgh, is also doing
what it can to promote the cause of
temperance. DIR. George f. Pentcost,
pastor of the important Bethany Pres
byterian Church, Philadelphia, declared
in a recent sermon that the horrors of
the present war are "in reality no more
awful than the horrors produced by
the ravages of disease and whisky"
Physicians Want Prohibition
A most significant movement is that
of 527 Philadelphia physicians who have
sent request to the Legislature at
Harrisburg to give the State a local
option bill because of their recognition
of "the harmful effects of alcoholic
beverages upon the physical and eco
nomic conditions of the human race"
Burton Hendricks gives this high
commentator in EVERY Week" to the
Anti-Saloon League and it's able super
intendent, DR.. p. A. Baker:
THE men directing the Anti-Saloon
League have the Old Testament spirit
as intensely as Cromwelrs soldiers, and
they implicitly believe that their every
act is inspired by God. With this de-
votional spirit, however. DR.. Baker and
his associates combine a worldly wis
dom that constantly outwits the clev-
crest politicians of the whisky inter-
ests. Their guiding philosophy may
have come from the throne of gYace,
but their political methods nave
practically that would do credit to
the district leaders of Tammany Hail.
These devoted wire -pullers admit all
this with engaging frankness; nor do
they hesitate to indicate the source
from which they have learned political
wisdom-that is from the politicians
of the liquor traffic. They carefully
studied the ways in which the liquor
interests gained their political power
and then adopted them as the most eff
fcacious means of fighting their de-
monic foe" The business of the Anti
Saloon League is safe in such hands.
Let us all believe that the following
prediction will prove true: "Prohibi-
ton will prevail in Pennsylvania in a
very few years, and one of the reasons
that it is coming so fast is because the
liquor interests of the State have dealt
most unfairly and dishonesty with the
people" The prayer of all Christian
people. of all patriots, should be not
only that Pennsylvania but our entire
land shall be forevermore free from
this dreadful, health-ruining and char
acter- blasting curse.
GRACE NJ. e.
Morning-Organ, (a) 1T Is Fin
ished" Obj 'The Darkness" ("SeVen |