PROHIBITION DOES NOT PROHIBIT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 8911, 27 October 1905, Page 2

PROHIBITION DOES NOT PROHIBIT.

A LESSON FROM AMERICA. (Published by Arrangement.) The following is the conclusion of the interview with Mr W. B. Leffingwell, an American journalist : — PROHIBITION AND TOURIST - RESORTS. j "What effect, if any, has prohibition on : the tourist resorts of America?" "That I cannot say, as I do not know of any tourist resorts where liquor cannot be obtained. All through America liquor is sold at the leading -resort hotels— at Coney Island, Long Beach, Niagara Falls, i Manhattan Beach, Ocean Grove, all along toe Great Lakes, at Ashville, North Caro- . lina, Jacksonville, Florida", Palm Beach, Los Angeles, Corpriado^Beaeh;. in- fact,everywhere. The sale of liquor is considered an essential part of a hotel's existence in America, and, were it not oh salermany tourists would- avoid the resort: - This was demonstrated in Chicago, at the ChicagoBeach Hotel. It ia situated in a prohibition district, under the_Local Option law, but tourists insisted upon having their wines and champagne, and, by special pefmit, a license was issued by; the city to this hotel to sell wines and liquors of every character. An open bar is in the hotel. This hotel is one of the most prominent in America, and accommodates nearly- one thousand guestsrThe" American tourist will not be denied his drink, and if he finds he cannot obtain it at a resort he will, not patronise it. He spends his money freely, and doesn't complain at prices, but will have what he wants or will leave the hotel at his first opportunity.^ PROFIT B_; EXPERIENCEr r s "What, Mr Leffingwell, in your opinion, would be the effect of prohibition were it' adopted in New. Zealand?" " - - - "That," said he, "I must decline- to answer. I have told you, in reply to your, enquiry, the history of prohibition r in the United States. Historylsometimes can be referred to and remembered with profit. Experience is the_ best lesson. Dearly, bought at times, but well," worth the price._ Patrick Henry, one of America's, greatestorators, once said : 'I have no way to judge the future but by the past, _I have but one -lamp by which- my footsteps can be guided — that is the lamp of experience.' Some people profit by the experience, of others, some don't." ~ _ - PROHIBITION AND -THE YOUNG. I "Why is it, Mr Leffingwell,- that so many States, after -having tried prohibition, revert back to license?" „ "Oh, there are -many reasons for that; one of the principal ones is, that -under prohibition men, women, and everi^ children "resort to sly drinking, and wherever the laws prohibit minors -from entering and frequenting hotels' and bars -where liquor is legally sold they find secretive places for drinking, and this encourages unprincipled men and women to run grog-; shops on "the" sly and_sell to people' who, otherwise could -not" obtain "liquor at any price. The general effect proves demoralising to the community." j "Do you know from personal observation whether or not liquor's are now being sold in Nebraska, lowa, [or Kansas?" "I cannot say_as to Kansas, not having been there recently ; but I .was in D©3 Moines. the "capital city of_lowa, : in April^ of the present- year, and saw liquor publicly sold at bars in the leading., hotels, and a great number of saloons were^run' openly on the most prominent streets. This same rule applies in the larger" cities of the State. I was in Omaha,- the" largest city in Nebraska, about a year ago", and liquor waa being sold at- hotels- and in saloons the "same as in'lowa."

(Extract from the Melbourne Age, dated - June 13, 1905.) '_ '