The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-01-24
NATION WIDE PROHIBITION.


The supporters OF the prohibition
amendment to the federal constitu-
tional amendment asked for seven
years to have it ratified by the requis-
tie number of states to make it a part
of the basic law of the land. In one
day less than 13 months it has been
ratified by SO states, or two thirds,
and will receive the endorsement of
others long before the time for it to
take effect
Sentiment for the ratification Of
the amendment swept the country and
caused it's positive acceptance so
quickly that it was surprising to even
many of its staunchest advocates.
The country is undoubtedly for ma
tion-wide prohibition. John Barley
corn has been as utterly routed as
was the kaiser. But, like the kaiser,
the figurative representative. of the
liquor traffic will attempt to save his
hide and if possible to stage a come
back. The liquor interests are pre-
pairing to test the constitutionality of
the constitutional amendment in the
courts. The chances are largely that
they will lose there as they have be-
fore the legislatures.
The uselessness, the damnable
blight the pernicious influence of in.
toxicating liquors in all forms have
been proved by demonstration and
logic time and time again. There is
absolutely no argument in favor of
intcxicants as a beverage. Alcohol
may have a value for medicinal pur-
poses. Even that is doubted by some
physicians. The time for it's complete
prohibition has come and the Ameri-
can people through their chosen rep.
resentatives in the several legisla-
lures have shown that they are awake
to the times.
Enforcement of this basic law is
now the job before the law-abiding
citizens of the country. Being a con-
stitutional amendment does not make
it law that will enforce itself auto
matically. Evasions and open viola
lions will continue. AS long as hui
man beings have depraved apetites
the stuff will be sold and consumed.
AS long as the juice of grain
and fruit will ferment, liquors
will be brewed and distilled.
The eighteenth amendment will
not have magic effect. Prohi-
bitionists and those who stand for the
of all laws will have to
be alert at all times to see that it is
not violated, and therein lies the duty
of the future. AS the years go by
and liquor drinking becomes a custom
Of the past, there will be fewer and
iS"SA PSi SUMS VIM hIOW IJS JdSL6
Dr. crave its effect. With the oppor.
tunity and the temptation to drink
removed the demand for it will de-
crease until the illegal vendor of the
stuff will be as VIGOROUSLY low in the
scale of humanity as the dope dealer
IS now. Every vestige of respectable
ty has been removed from it. No
longer can men of integrity continue
to deal in it because it has the stamp
Of an honest business, permitted and
protected by the laws of the land.
It has been outlawed.
When the amendment will become
effective is still slightly mooted
question. BY some it is held that it
axes effect one year from the day the |
seth state ratified it. By others it is
held that the date for it to become
IN article of the nations constitution
will be IL months after SO states have
certified to the government that their
legislatures have ratified it. But
hat is a small thing to consider, /
it becomes effective IL