t, gentlemen. That doesn't mean that I or any other man, or
that the prohibitory law, as we have it, or any other mere law, can stop
the drinking of liquor in this State. I'm speaking only of the open sale
of it. I know perfectly well that my attempt to make men sober by law
alone will fail miserably. As it is administered now, the law still
caters to appetite and public demand for privileges, and the public goes
along without especial disturbance. But as I shall enforce the
prohibitory law, conditions will be so intolerable in this State that
the way will be paved for a common-sense treatment of the liquor
question. I shall enforce in order to show how wrong the prohibitory
principles are. They have not been shown up so far, for the law has not
been enforced."

The delegates were disconcerted. The spokesman's face grew red.

"Do you dare, sir, as a candidate for Governor of a prohibition State,
to stand up here before these representatives of the temperance
societies and say you are opposed to prohibition?"

"I certainly do," declared the unruffled General. "For this State is not
a prohibition State! It fatuously thinks it is when the citizens can get
all the liquor they want without trouble. I merely propose to put it to
the test of honesty."

"You declare yourself an enemy, then, do you?"

"Mr. Prouty, there you launch yourself into your usual intemperance! At
the first word of another man's dignified difference of opinion you
shout 'enemy' and prepare to fight! I want to ask you and your
supporters here a question: Will you meet with representatives of all
the interests concerned in this matter, including the liquor men and
those who use liquor in its various forms, and endeavor to arrive at
some compromise in this State which shall put a stop to what is
practically civil war, in which we are expending all our energies
without accomplishing any real betterment of conditions? Will you agree
to some middle ground, if it can be shown that more men can be made
sober and less men hypocrites?"

"I stand solely for the principle of prohibition, unswerving till
death," announced the clergyman. His partisans applauded.

"You won't stop and listen to what may be for the actual best interests
of our State, then?"

"I'll not license crime nor compound felonies with criminals."

"Mr. Prouty, as Governor I signed the first prohibition law passed in
this State. It was on trial. I was liberal enough to bend my own
person