New-York tribune., 1918-04-24
Prohibition Cheap But Not Economical
Bible Lecturer Decides After STUDY

reform period. 1t is not true to fact
to say that, then, we were vet
We became wet in the time when
slavery and war absorbed our entire
minds. This was augmented, this wet
mental attitude, by great influx be-
tween 1850 and 1880 of foreigners-Irish
Sgreat drinkers), Germans wanting
beer. We lost our total abstinence
fervor; we lost our dry area after the
Civil War. A new ideal came in mod
GRAFTON; use but not abuse. And it
was thon that we became wet, wettcr,
wettest
1t was not till the twentieth century
that there came back to us-came to us
new view of alcohol-alcohol, the life
destroyer. the drug. This brought back
the old cry of grandfather, who lived
In 1910: the cry for total abstinence
plus prohibition. In 1907 we had three
dry states; to-day we have twenty
eight, though the law has not yet be-
come effective in all.
Under the moderation ideal our
drink consumption rose from 40 gal
Ions per capita in 1870 to 22.79 gallons
IN 1907. Since 1907 it has not risen
but declined-even through prohibition
until recently allowed importation for
private use and was mostly in small,
sparsely settled states. The great
drinking is said to be done in the in
dustrial states by our great imnli-
grant populations. These states have
remained wet.
The fact is, the early agitation and
down consumption. And the new
agitation and dry area are beginning to
do the same. Between 1S55-l900 tenn
perance agitation among the men was
low-and it is the men who must take
hold to get results, for they have had
the votes. But now outside a few
states like New York, Connecticut and
New Jersey the business men have
taken hold hard, and drink consump-
days of 1910. Z. TILTON.
Seven pertinent questions are
put by Whidden Graham touching
concurrent national and state legis-
lation, enforcement of Federal
enactments and the rule of the ma
jority as to personal tastes and
habits. He asks:
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: With a view to concentrat-
ing the attention of your CORE
spondents on these essential facts in
volyed in the question of ratifying the
national prohibition amendment, wish
TO submit the following brief ques-
tons:
i: Does not the Kenyon law
giving the states complete control of
the interstate traffic in liquor and the
Reed "bonedry" amendment making
it crime to ship liquor into dry
territory enable each and every state
TO enforce the strictest prohibitory
laws that they may choose to enact?
2. If this is true, what excuse is
there for the national prohibition
amendment?
3. If the local sentiment in dry
states is not sufficiently strong to in
sure the enforcement of prohibitory
laws, what reason is there for claiming
that the Federal government, far re-
moved from the communities affected,
Will more strictly enforce a law OBJ
noxious to many millions of our citi-
zens?
4. Is it not fact that Article XIV
of the Federal Constitution, providing
that no citizen shall because of his
race or color be deprived of his right
to vote, is openly and defantiy violated
by nearly all Of the Southern prohibi-
ton states?
5. If it has been found impossible
to enforce the fundamental law of the
land IN such an important matter as
the citizens right to vote, how can we
expect that sumptuary law interfer-
ing with the personal tastes and habits
OF millions of sober, temperate men
and women can be enforced?
g. Is not the real reason why pro-
hlpltlon, by constitutional amendment
Is sought desire to so fasten the
dry policy upon the country that
thirteen states, with less than G,OOO 600
population, can forever prevent its re-
peal?
7. Is it fair and just to SO bind the
American people that in the event that
clear majority, or even two-thirds
o. them, should wish to return to the
license system they will be unable to
carry their wishes into effect?
WHIDDEN GRAHAM.
Some confusion as to the mean
-ng Of ratification of the prohibi-
ton amendment is cleared up in
the following letter from the chair
man of the Hotel Association of
New York, in which he points out
that light wines and beer are not
excepted in the proposed constitu-
tional amendment:
10 the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: A statement by Senator Ceorye
B. Wellington, Of Troy, to the effect
that ratification of the national pro-
nlnItlon amendment would not mean