The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1918-10-18

About Ave years ago the Prohibition
forces, assembled IN convention at CO.
lumbus, Ohio, launched their CAM
paign for a "saloonless nation by
1920" At that time the general pub
lie paid little attention to this ambi-
tious enterprise; so lar as it mani
tested any interest at all. the feeling
was one OF amusement or contempt.
There were then only nine Prohibi-
ton states. the larger number of them
in the South; the liquor interest
seemed still impregnably intrenched
in politics; and by no means all the
most intelligent public sentiment sup
ported the anti-alcoholic crusade.
That was only FIVE years ago; yet
in that brief period the situation has
completely changed. There are now
twenty-eight states. besides Alaska
and the District of Columbia, that
have adopted Prohibitory laws. Can
ada is now practically dry from the
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Throughout the breadth OF this con-
tinent the public drinking-place is no
longer the rule; il is the exception.
Nearly seventy-hve per cent of our
population now live in territory where
the lcgalized saloon does not exist.
II we so back twenty years the trans
formation is even more striking.
The thousands of temperance advo-
Gates, now campaigning throughout
the United States, present an exhibit
which is fairly sensational in its rev.
elation OF great social change. At
critical moments in their speeches
they uproll two maps, one picturing
the temperance situation in 1893 and
the other in 1918. Dry territory ap-
pears in white, wet territory in black,
The impression instantly created is
that, whereas nearly all parts OF the
United States gave free scope to the
saloon in 1893. now nearly all Sec
tons have outlawed il. Common
wealths representing such varied areas
SIS the Pacific coast. the Rocky Noun
tain region, Alaska. Hawaii, the arid
section in the Southwest, the Missis-
sippi Valley. the Central States, the
South, and New England, have all
taken their stand against the saloon.
Even the larger par. Of New York
and Pennsylvania is dry; the only
communities that present an almost
unrelieyed area OF blackness are Ne
sada and New Jersey. Formerly we
regarded prohibitory laws as vagaries
OF the rural districts; now such large
and sophisticated cities as Denver,
Seattle, Portland Oregon as well as
Maine), Detroit, and Indianapolis are
thriving without the saloon. Mean
while Congress has adopted an amend
ment to the Federal Constitution abol-
ishing the manufacture and sale of al
coholic beverages; and there seems lit
tie doubt that thirty-six states will
give the necessary Endorsement.
A year after its organization the
Ohio League demonstrated the polit-
ical efficiency of the new idea. 1t
had drawn, and introduced the So
called Haskell local-option law. At
first this measure made little head
way with the lawmakers. most of
them experienced politicians, who
looked upon Mr. Russell and his as
sociates as Prohibitionists of the old
familiar type. In the hearing on this
bill Mr.. Russell promised the sup
port of his organization at the polls
TO all the lawmakers who voted in
its favor. Thirty-six men followed
this advice. At the next election the
representatives of the League openly
entered the campaign in favor of these
men; they went into the churches on
Sunday, detailed the good acts of the
local representatives, and called upon
the church members to re-elect them.
Every one OF the thirty-six who
sought reelection went back to the
Legislature by increased majorities.
In the same crisis one of the political
leaders of Ohio; John Locke. had risen
in the Legislature and made power
full and witty speech against the Has
kill biii. "If you wish to dig your po-
liticai grave" he said, vote for the
Haskell bill" At the next election
Mr.. Locke sought a nomination to
the state Senate; the Anti-Saloon
League picked out candidate of its
own--and nominated and elected him.
Another conspicuous member who had
made speech against the measure at
tempted to run for Congress--but
failed in his ambition. About the
same time prominent Ohio Repub-
lican who had refused to support the
Leagues measures. and had suffered