THE PROHIBITION STATES OF AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11783, 12 October 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PROHIBITION STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROHIBITION VIEW.

[BY J. HARRISON.]

I had intended some time since to report the result of my observations in the prohibition States of America., but I rind travelling unfavourable for writing, hence the delay. We hear most about Kansas, f.nu for that reason I made it the centre of my observations. I spent, nearly a week in Kansas, mostly in Topeka, its capital, interviewing all I came across and all I could get at, from the man in the street to the governor of the State, with all shades of opinion and all grades in society between. Briefly put, the State of Kansas is most prosperous, and the people well fed, well dressed, well housed, well educated, intelligent, and happythis to a degree nowhere to be found in a community where intoxicating drinks are openly sold. These arcfacts not disputed by enemies of prohibition. They, however, endeavour to get people to believe that it is a. mere accident, and not in any way the result of the absence of the open saloon. In my interview with the governor, whom I was warned was not a strong prohibitionist, I had evidence of this. I knew I could not get much time with him, and went right at my point by Stating, ." I find your State exceedingly prosperous and the people happy. To what extent do yon attribute this to your prohibition laws?" He replied, "To a very small extent," and went on to review the working of the law from its inception, 19 years ago, then stating that after a season of depression, several years ago, the people were induced to apply themselves to the development of their mines, to cattleraising and corngrowing. etc. As they accumulated a little, wealth- they used it for further and larger works." After he had stated his case thus, I thought this proved the case for prohibition—that if people don't drink they are usually industrious, and if they don't spend their money on drink as they earn it they usually use it in useful channels. I therefore suggested, " Did he not think that if the. people had spent their money in drink as they earned it, and neglected their work as the result of drinking. Kansas would have been less prosperous?"' To which he replied, " Probably it would."' He then went on to say they had the cleanest-living young men in Kansas to be found anywhere; and with (pardonable pride said, "You may walk about our streets for a week, and will not find a blear-eyed, ammalised, sottish man or woman. This is indisputable." But he went on further, saying as the result of prohibition laws for so many years very few of the young people have ever seen an open saloon. They think of them in the same order as gambling dens, or houses of ill-fame. Intoxicating drinks are never before their eyes, or in their thoughts—in fact, are quite outside of their lives. This is the substance of his report, except I might add his reply in answer to my question, "Do you find it difficult to enforce the law?" which was, "Not more than any other law of the same kind. If a man has property stolen from him, or is assaulted, he is quite ready to give evidence and have the law enforced, but with liquor laws the case is different." I find the best part of the people are on the side of prohibition, being fully convinced that it is the. only common-sense way of curing the evil. I found 1000 of the leading residents had banded themselves together in Topeka to enforce the lawusing physical force, if necessary. The opposition is almost wholly from the Kansas City brewers, who live outside the State, and wish to force their traffic. They pay men for running sly grog shops, and go to an expense quite beyond any profit they make simply to break down so powerful an object lesson. I found some illegal sales were effected, but only to a very small extent, except in cases where the police authorities were in the pay of the brewers. According to some statistics I saw in a trade journal, Kansas was reported as consuming eight barrels of beer, against 100 in States under license. That, of course, includes legal sales by druggists, as well as illegal sales. I never saw a person under the influence of drink, and no place, where I could buy it. I was told there were three places in the city suspected, but. only the initiated could get at it, and then at a very high price. I found the vast majority of the people satisfied with prohibition, and prepared to fight for it if necessary. They have no hesitation in pronouncing it a great success. The assertion that more is sold than under license needs no answering, except to remind people that it is the brewer who opposes prohibitory laws. .1 hope, to return to New Zealand before the end of the year, and shall have more to say on the subject.