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Show . SOMEBODY HIT. It is very evident from the action of various societies and leagues affiliated with the liquor business busi-ness that that business has felt the effect of the persistent efforts of the antis. It is interesting to read in the circular of the National Model License league what dire results will follow the abolition of the saloon business and then be assured by the same authority that the liquor traffic cannot be abolished as long as the majority of the people want to drink liquor and have the price. Among those dire things in prospect is the threatened destruction de-struction of personal liberty, of our financial strength and of the sanity of the people if this prohibition or temperance movement is permitted to go on unchecked. It is enumerated that more than $3,000,000,000 worth of property devoted to the production of liquor will be rendered valueless; that more than a million men and women will be thrown out of work; that thousands of firms will go broke that fanatics will occupy the legislative chambers of the nation, and a whole lot of other fearful results will follow the destruction of the saloon. Then we are assured that such things cannot can-not come to pass, because the per capita consumption consump-tion of intoxicating drinks has increased five and a half gallons since the anti-saloon crusade began. be-gan. Five and a half gallons per capita means something over 400,000,000 gallons, which is certainly cer-tainly no mean quantity of liquor when considered consid-ered as an increase. The inference is that the spreading anti movement has encouraged a greater consumption, the devotees of the flowing bowl mak-j mak-j ing haste to drink up their portion before the day of reckoning is upon them. We arc not of that class of prohibitionists who consider the simple drinking of beer or whisky a crime, or even a sin. Our contention is that the saloon is a nuisance, made so by the saloon men, who have violated all the laws made to regulate their business; that the act of drinking, though in itself it may be innocent, leads to crimes and sins against God and the government, and in many cases robs the drinker of his manhood and his honor. We further maintain that the saloon is not the place for moderate drinking, if, as the Brewers' Brew-ers' association asserts, moderate drinking is conducive con-ducive to health and happiness. The circular of the National Model License league lacks the power to carry conviction. Its coloring col-oring is too lurid; its language too hysterical. , It is calculated to give the antis encouragement, for never before has the other side shown such unmistakable unmis-takable signs of having been hit. But the publicity agents of the Model License league have made a sad botch of their work. In places the circular is laughable, laugh-able, in others absurd. If, as the circular infers, the majority of the people want to drink, and the traf-I traf-I fic cannot be abolished a3 .long as this condition exists, what is it that causes the league's worri-ment? worri-ment? And if the consumption of liquor has increased in-creased five and a half gallons per capita since the agitation of the prohibitionists, why not spend their money in encouraging the crusaders in their efforts at reform, rather than in an attclnpt to nullify their work? Altogether, this circular is the best evidence that the work of the temperance people peo-ple is bearing fruit that has yet come to hand. |