OCR Text |
Show BE OF GOOD CHEER. If there be persons discouraged at the apparently snail-like pace at which the temperance sentiment Is moving, let them note recenl results of agitation In the cast and be of good cheer. Sane men and women there are still waging a fight against the saloon, and In Georgia have won total prohibition. With this addition, four statesMaine, North Dakota, Kansas and Georgia may be placed In the prohibition column, and it is safo to say that at least half the counties of every other state In the east arc now prohibition as a result of local option laws. That the government, state or county should refuse to license prostitution and gambling, two great evils of less Import and comparatively limited scope, and yet make legal the greatest evil of all Is a puzzle to many, and to theso the progress of the prohibition prohi-bition idea, as set forth In Collier's, will come as good news. That publication publi-cation says: "Tho trend toward stringent re striction of the sain and consumption of liquor would be observed, if it were not obscured by the louder noises of our pursuit of corporations, as a national movement of Impressive size and Importance. Who that has the old Idea of Kentucky will not be surprised sur-prised to learn that, In 01 of the 110 counties of that state, no liquor, Is sold? Quite as potent are minor evidences evi-dences of social pressure against the making and selling of liquor. In o e of the most Important of the secret societies In Kentucky, makers of liquor will no longer be admitted, .and those already in will not bo advanced. I In Ohio, East Liverpool, with a population popu-lation of 25,000 an(l 63 saloons, has gone 'dry,' an Incident whose significance signifi-cance lies In the fact that this Is the largest city In the state that has ever voted 'no license.' One striking evidence evi-dence of the spread of antl saloon zeal Is the Increased number and Importance Import-ance of local prohibition papers. In Texas, 164 counties have abolished the liquor business, and the Georgia legls laturc has within a few weeks passed a prohibition statute for the entire slate. There are ovldencesof more passlonato zeal than is expressed in statutes. In Vatdosta, Georgia, women and children stood all tiay at the polls, converting otcr after voter i as he was on the point of depositing his ballot. In Hawklnsvlllc, Georgia, 'every woman and child in the town was on hand, singing 'hymns and psalms.' Judge Samuel Artman, of Boone county, Indiana, tendered a de-, clston to the cttect that the saloon Is so evil an Institution that u state licensing law Is unconstitutional, urging urg-ing in his opinion that the state can not delegate tho right to 'make widows and orphans, break up homes, , and create misery and crime.' Bartow, Georgia, voted 1,715 'dry' and only 04 'wet.' Tho south, Indeed, is the con-j splcuous leader in tho anti-saloon movement. In tlftccn southern states, from one-half to four-fifths of tho counties are 'dry' under tho local option law. There Is a good deal of I Insight In the remark of the Memphis i 'Ncws-Sclmltai' that 'the south Is leading tho country In moral reforms as the north Is In economic reforms.' " |