Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-28
THE LAST GENERATION
BYDr. Frank Crane

The people of the United States need not
think that they alone are troubled with the
liquor question. In one form or another,
the matter of controlling the sale of alco-
holic beverages receives the attention OF
almost every government in the world
Our neighbor, Canada, is following along
in about the same path we have travelled.
In no part of the Dominion is the sale Of
liquor unrestricted. Everywhere it is re-
garded as subject to police surveillance
In the provinces of Saskatchewan, AL
berta and Manitoba conditions are bone
dry. Bootlegging, however, is not so serious
in Canada as in the United States, as the
sense of absolute obedience to law is more
highly developed among the British than
among the Americans. Besides this the
average Canadian is sober and hard-work-
ing. There are few parlor Bolshevists and
the war cry of personal liberty is not so
strident as in the states.
In Quebec, where there is a considerable
population of French descent with traditions
strongly favoring the use of liquor, it Is
possible to buy wet goods, but even here
the restrictions are quite severe. Similar
conditions prevail in the provinces of On
tario and British Columbia.
According to the Quebec liquor law, the
government alone may buy or sell alco-
holic beverages, and it does this through
commission.
For this commission men of the highest
standing and reputation have been chosen.
1t has established stores in cities where
alcohol is sold only in sealed packages and
in limited quantities. These stores are
open but few hours each day. On holt
days and election days they are closed.
There is this to be said for this plan;
the sale is made openly and without stealth,
the alcohol is pure and the commission
uses its best judgment as to whom 1t shall
SELL
1t is contended that the Quebec liquor
act has reduced drunkenness, bootlegging
and the illicit manufacture of impure
liquors. also that the law is observed be-
cause the people are behind it, and that the
of light beer and wines is increasing.
Opinion in other provinces, Manitoba, for
instance, differs from this. There the prev
alent conviction Is the same as that found
in most of the United States In recent
article in the Winnipeg Free Press, it was
pointed out that the experience of British
Columbia, which has a modified license
system, has not been satisfactory.
At a recent meeting of Victoria business
men resolution was adopted which con-
demned the liquor board for opening 80
many stores and otherwise pushing it's bust
ness This resolution concludes with the
following words:
eve find that the huge sums of money
being diverted from the necessary channels
of trade is crippling industry, impoverishing
the homes of our people and depriving
women and children of the necessarfes of
life"
There is every evidence that the tide Of
opinion against the public sale Of liquors
in Canada is steadily increasing. AS one
Canadian said There are people who have
grown from childhood to manhood and have
never seen a man crucified, yet time was
when death on the cross fearfully COM
mon. People have grown to mature years
and have never seen person put in the
stocks punishment, a witch nor a
hereto burned nor slave sold, and yet not
so very long ago WITHDRAWING was a
favorite sport, stocks were set up in every
village and slaves were as common as
cattle