PROFESSOR SALMOND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 88, 27 November 1911, Page 5

PROFESSOR SALMOND.

The Trade evidently regards the D.D.’s pamphlet as a full hand of trumps, but a bad player may be trusted to lose tricks whatever cards bo holds. In the last deal he has trumped his partner’s trick and followed up with a revoke. The Trade has stated and dinned into our ears ad nauseam that Prohibition’s immediate effects are contempt tor and evasion of the law, unemployment, bankruptcies, closed shops, and general misery and depression. Now the Trade quotes Professor Salmond. “Yes Prohibition will work T lie house will ho. swept and garnished. You will have a fine tale to tell OF LESSENED CRIME OF BETTER FOOD AND CLOTHING OF HEAVIER SAVINGS AT THE BANK OF NEW CA&PETS AND HANGINGS, AND OF SMALLER NUMBERS OF MISERABLE MEN AND WOMEN AT STREET CORNERS and that is good.” Yes, Professor, it IS good, and it is good to hear you make such a confession. But now for the revoke; Leaving facts which being an honest man he cannot ignore, he wanders into the realms of fancy and has an apocalyptic vision of woes to follow in the indefinite future. Wait a while, says he, and tho evil spirit will return with seven other devils worse than himself. The Professor gives the names of the seven and it is at once plain to everyone that they are old acquaintances. We have them hero in Stratford and do not expect to get rid of thorn altogether oven by the carrying, of No-license. If the Professor had found in the course of his investigations that these devils take their flight in company with tho drink, then he claims for Prohibition more than any Prohibitionist claims. But as to tho return of the drink fiend with the rest of the syndicate, the Professor brings no arguments forward in support of his gloomy prognostication. Has he no evidence from Invercargill after seven years, none, from Balclutha after seventeen? The house is swept and garnished, where is the returning evil spirit? Perhaps it is, as Mr A. R. Atkinson points out, that the house although “swept and garnished” is not, like the housein the parable, also “empty.” Good spirits have entered in and dwelt there. Anyhow, tiie Prophet Salmond is in this instance like Balaam the son of BeoiV called upon to curse the Prohibitionists he has blessed them. Betterj bring Mr Maguire along, Mr Publican)* ■