The Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1895. PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5097, 7 August 1895, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1895. PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

It is scarcely creditable to Wellington Journalistic enterprise that when a distinguished lecturer like Dr. Joseph Cook visits the Empire City, and delivers public addresses, we have to look to Christchui'cli papers for substantial reports of them. Dr. Joseph Cook gave his impressions on American Prohibition to a Wellington audience, and his address on this occasion was probably the, most valuable. evidence that lias been, asyot, available in Now Zealand. Id the opinion of the Boston lecturer, Prohibition, while it prevailed, killed more than 80 per cent, of tho drink traffic, and this may be regarded as a sufficient answer to tlio question which has often been asked,as to whetherProliibitiondoes prohibit, According to Dr. Cook, the drink traffic was outlawed in Maine, being prohibited by the Constitution of the State, and tlio traffic was only carried on under similar conditions to counterfeiting or any other lawless practice. It. was easier to carry prohibition by statute law than by constitutional amendment, but the latter was preferred as being more secure. Ho did not think that ike State of copld be dragooned by artillery or innsketry into repealing the law of prohibition, Kveryone who travels in Maine remarks how prosperpus that £>Me is compared with those where tho liquor traffic prevails, It pspcf to be a poor State j its cities wero rudo places, and drinking was very prevalent; bnt under Prohibition, Maine had redeemed her character, Sho is now accumulating property as rapidly as any other New England State,'and General Neal Dow says she is becoming : prosperous in possible way, : Pauperism has diminished, cdtno i Ji,is' dipinijhed, and taxation has ; diminished'; industrial interests liayp j prospered, and tjip illicit"sale b: | t liquor has been out down immensely, j

It is believed that, with some slight amendment of the executive portion of the law, the Mayors will he able to cnt oil 95 per cent of the liquor trade in Maine, What Dr Cook had said about Maine could be said about any State where Prohibition has been introduced, The other Prohibition States were Kansas, lowa, and the two Dakotas. The doctor believed tlmt a prohibitory law would most favourably affect New Zealand in all respects—and that on the basis, not of theory, but of the actual experience of all the States of the American Union that have adopted either Prohibition out and out, or Prohibition under local option, This is strong evidence in favour of outlawing the liquor traffic, and though New Zealand is not yet ripe for adopting prohibition, if the mass of the working-men and the suffering women and children of the Colony come to need it, we should be sorry to see it denied to them. Wo believe with Dr. Cook, that prohibition is a poor man's question, and thatitis almost the only one on which class legislation may bo desirable. New Zealand is on the road to Prohibition and it is satisfactory to find from the testimony of a man like Dr. Cook, of the highest character, the greatest intelligence, and the widest experience, that in America it has proved advantageous to the to the communities, where it has held sway. The time has not yot come for Prohibition to be adopted in this Colony, but we think that it is coming. We should gladly see the problem of poverty and destitution in New Zealand solved without having resort to such an extreme expedient as Prohibition, but in what other direction can we look for aid. The socialistic policy of the Government has, judging by results, proved a failure. Some other means must be tried, and none other promise to be as effectual as prohibition has been proved to be in other communities.

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