The Daily Morning Journal And Courier

A MISSOURI INCIDENT

Once in a while there is an incident that seems to count against the prohibition theory. Such was something that happened the other day to a man in Bellama Springs, a watery place in Missouri. This man went fishing with his gang, and they didn't carry any water with them, feeling sure that they would be able to find all the water they wanted. But they did carry some jugs filled with stuff that both cheers and inebriates. And it is owing to two of those jugs that the excursion was not shadowed by a tragedy. They saved the life of one of the party. The crowd was in a skiff, except one who was coming down the bank with two two-gallon jugs, and in some manner he slipped and fell into the river. He did not let go his grip on the jugs. They acted as life preservers, and he floated safely down the river where the bank was not so steep, and crawled out. Then and there he uncorked the jugs and celebrated his deliverance. And while moderately glad that their comrade had escaped a watery grave the rest of the gang found fault with him for using too much of that which was in the jugs to celebrate his escape.

It will be noted that we said above that this incident "seems" to count against the prohibition theory, and it may only so seem. When a rumseller in defending his rumselling told the great Dr. Johnson that he was obliged to live, the stern and sincere Doctor replied that he didn't see the least necessity for that. Perhaps this Missouri man who was saved by two jugs of rum could well have been spared. If he could his salvation can't fairly be called an argument, or even a reason, against the prohibition theory.