AN AMERICAN LETTER.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 257, 18 November 1916, Page 14

AN AMERICAN LETTER.

Topeka, Kansas, U S A., August Ist, 1916. To the Editor, “White Ribbon," Port Chalmers, New Zealand. Dear Madam, —Will you kindly permit an American, from the State of Kansas, who is a practical believer in total abstinence from the use of all narcotic stimulants, to address a few words of encouragement to the memof the New Zeeland! W.C.T.U., and to others engaged in Humanitarian work, in this trying period of your national history? The great and noble work accomplished in past days, not only for the general welfare of the Dominion, but the wide influence wielded on humanity throughout the world, should now give to your organisation such faith and power that will have marked influence on world-wide humanitarian laws of the near future.

Such grand achievements as have been attained by the influence of the New Zealand branch of the W.C.T.U. never fails to prove a blessing to the human race, and here in Kansas we extend the hand of fellowship to you in the great effort you are making to rid the world of the greatest evil that ever befell the human race; and our most earnest prayers are that success may soon crown your efforts to drive the liquor traffic from the Southern Hemisphere, as we are endeavouring to drive it from the Northern, and when the last saloon on earth has been closed, to never again deal out destruction and death to our race, it will be largely due to the women of that day, and we are now very sure that the women of no land will be more entitled to wear the crown of glory th.will the women of New Zealand, for their share in the worldwide movement. Perhaps just at this time it is difficult to see the results of your labours, but no greater opportunity over presented itself to the faithful workers in the great fields than are now ai band, and trulv it proves, just as your wise and judicious President M rs W. R. Don, so nobly expressed, “If there was a time when we need to work to save our people from drink and its evil influences, it is now,” and I w ill add; If there was ever a time when the gentle influence of the women commanded such great re-

spect, and serious and careful consideration by men in every “rank and hie” of life, history has failed to record the fact, therefore be of good cheer, for reform will follow just as the sunshine follows the shadow. The great war in Europe has caused two of the greatest events in the world's history, one which we now see face to face, and brings sorrow to millions of homes, and one which cast the shadow over the entire earth, for do not all sincere hearts bow in grief, whether involved in this struggle, or merely a neutral spectator ? The other one we will see, the “dawn of the perfect day,” which will follow the wild stormy night, the darkness of which now tills every land, will open to the world, a world of peace,, free from many of the greatest evils that the race ever had to contend with, among these will be the elimination of strong drink ; the signs of this is now apparent to all who cause to give it a single thought. No greater victory was ever won than the forcing of the liquor element to accept “Six O’clock” Closing of the liquor bars, and we heartily congratulate you on this success in Tasman ». South Australia, etc., for it is the “beginning of the end” of the liquor trade in Australia, for when the public has had a chance to caretully observe the great benefits derived from the early closing of the liquor bars in these States, but little argument will be required to convince them that National Prohibition of the liquor traffic will only be one more step in a real progressive movement—from every available standpoint will this prove true, , nd when this takes place prosperity will reign where ruin prevailed. I wish to impress this one thought on the minds of the electors of each and every State and Province where liquor licenses are permitted to be issued: from the day the licensed liquor bars are closed the average individual's taxes are decreased, while the State’s revenue is increased, and thus peace and prosperity are created.

No greater error was ever committed than for a State Government to oppose Prohibition of the liquor traffic on the grounds of revenue obtained. In each and every one of the American States, which has adopted State-wide Prohibition, the revenue from the increase of honest legitimate business has more than counter-

balanced the revenue from the saloon at the end of the first >ear, and as the years passed, the ratio becomes greater, but this is only one side of this matter, for while even greater revenue is obtained, the great savings in revenue to the State, from legal prosecution and court costs, to say nothing of the vast amounts expended to maintain police patrol, gaols, State prisons, poor houses, etc., while no tongue or pen can make a moral balance that justifies a State in deciding in favour of strict Prohibition of all liquor traffic. There can be no denial of these facts, because we have both sides of this argument here in the States both in existence; under the same floating “Stars and Stripes” that brings prosperity and happiness to the borders of Kansas, where no saloons can enter, and brings a decided inferior standard of life to some of our otherwise prosperous States where “demon” rum is made legal traffic, and where a class of people are still under bondage for worse than that which President Lincoln brought to a successful termination in 1805. The liquor element have aad their day in this country, their race is nearly run, and soon the United States will by a single stroke wipe this ungodly business from our domains. At present some of our greatest distilleries are quietly preparing plans to close down and go out of business before they are driven to do so. In Kansas even the few who have not ceased to use liquor wil. not vote to re-open saloons in Kansas so 1, because of the bad influence on the common business and general welfare of the State. In Kansas, where not a single ->nu>on exists, our courts have reduced ihesr volume of business one-half, "axes have not been increased, even with the numerous public improvements, our gaols in many of our counties have no prisoners, and forty-one out of the one hundred and five Kansas counties have no inmates in their poor houses, while the number of convicts sent to the State prison have decreased one-half since our liquor laws have become an enforced measure, and the social standard of Kan c as citizenship is therefore greatly in advance of those sections where the saloon is evidence of present conditions,

We have six hundred thousand public school children in Kansas who have never seen a saloon, or in most cases a drunkard, and while we mention this fact, we do so only .is a proven fact that Prohibition is a safe and sane proposition for every land, regardless of boundary lines, and our hearts and our hands arc* ever ready to extend such aid to others to possess these conditions as are within our power to grant, and, therefore, it is with pleasure that the Kansas people note every advance movement made by your band of loyal W.C.T.U. members, and to one and ail we sincerely commend in the* hignest terms, for your great share in the world's tigh. to exterminate the liquor traffic, and may wisdom and courage continue to be yours in the* future just as it has crowned your highest efforts in the past, so will your present noble work not only prove a blessing to your own land but continue to shed its rays of influence far across the Pacific, even to your co-workers within the borders of Kansas. Yours very truly, W. F. HORN.