davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-05-17
Prohibition An Issue.

Is it good policy to dodge the sub
ject of prohibition in the coming pres
idential campaign?
Rather does not presidential cam
paign need a subject which may in
spire oratorical fireworks-a subject
which may stir up the enthusiasm,
reason, conscience and soul of the
people-indeed a veritable whilrwind
to dethrone old-time ignorance for
what best stands for national sound
health and prosperity?
Let leading factor for disease, pov-
erty, crime and degenerate inherit
ance and the need and expense of
penitentiaries, lunatic asylums, po-
lice courts and charity institutions in
general be brought into the public
limelight; let the American slogan
be Sound Health" that has no de-
sire or need for any alcoholic stimu-
liant whatever; ask the wet ingenu
if he wants his chauffeur to be a
drinking man, or even one who can
not live happily without the poison
alcoholic habit in a more or less de-
gree-and then ask the people in gen.
eral if they want such, the privilege
of our public thoroughfares, they be-
coming ever more dangerous; let ap-
pealS be made, not only to the mothers
and fathers of sons, but to the moth
ers and fathers of daughters, asking
them to read the history of King AL
cohOl!
A couple of years ago the "wets"
called upon Congress to investigate
and abolish an "odious prohibition
law which cost $2,OOO,OOO,OOO a year
to enforce and which nobody wants"
A thrill came about when our great
est American statistician, Professor
Irving Fisher of Yale University, ap-
peared before the Congressional Com
mittee to show how, since the advent
of the prohibition law, our country
has already gained $5,000,0O0,0OO a
year, on account of an improved ma
tional efficiency.
And again, before this same investi-
eating committee, 800 wives of rail-
road employees appeared to tell them
of their new cause for happiness-how
a new prosperity, new avantages for
their children, new cOuntings in saw
ings banks had come about since the
ogre of alcohol had been eliminated
from their lives.
The business men of America want
no poison drinkers for their employees
and they, along with mothers and
fathers could count for something in
the coming presidential campaign.
And while our orators are about
it, let them urge universal national
athletics in our public schools and
elsewhere as an easy and pleasant
way of Kidding ourselves of poison
habits; and again, let the same orator
mention how much foreign countries
need and are looking for the example
of American leadership in these di-
rections.
There is no such opportunity for
oratory as a national presidential
campaign.
MRS. JOHN B. HENDERSON.
Washington, D. c.