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About The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip. (Portland, Or.) 1923-1927 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1923)
NOVEMBER, 1923 THE UNITED AMERICAN scientifically. In the parlance of the street, they know how to do things. Perhaps they may have to change some of their ideas of farming in order to adapt themselves to the new soil and the new conditions, but this will not con stitute an obstacle. It may also be said with reason able accuracy that these people will manage to make their actual cash, even in American dollars and cents, do duty far beyond the limits of the American dol lar earned by Americans and still no one will be able to say that they are guilty of reducing any so-called American standard of living. These people know some very concrete, simple preambles of living that pro duce healthy and happy lives in no sense deprived of any of the comforts that are essential to live truly an American standard in living. They are also well versed in all details of practical co-operative efforts and know how to work together in order to secure the best results with the least expenditure of time, en ergy, and capital. The state that received this contingent of deter mined clean and healthy people is richer far beyond the measure of the monetary capital they brought with them. Americanization work among these people should be the concern of the State of Nebraska and the fed eral government. The amount of expense and kindly effort to make these people in spirit a part of America would be but a small return for what they have brought to America in clean, healthy and chaste wom anhood and manhood. Some so-called American standards of living, with which we are thoroughly fa miliar, however, should not be introduced among those people whose LIVING standard most sensible Americans would be quite unable to find any fault with. To help these people to grasp the importance of at taining citizenship qualifications along definite lines, whereby they would in the shortest possible time be come attached to the ideals and the institutions in government of America and enabled to exercise in telligent citizenship when they emerge after five years as citizens in name, should be the all important concern of the state and the nation of which they are already nominally a part. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE U7ITH North America “wet” and “dry” in spots, it * is an interesting study to watch the people move about, some from the dry into the wet zones and vice versa. United States, legally dry and illegally mighty wet (judging by the frequent outward signs of illicit liquor consumption) and Canada wet, in a limited sense, furnishing the proverbial oasis in the desert for those in this country who occasionally want to slake their thirst legitimately, the situation is at least a problem for those who are engaged in enforc ing the dry laws of the states, besides that it fur nishes the press a constant “news” arsenal. I The travel from certain sections of the United States across the border into the wet lands of Canada is in many instances nothing short of an invasion. By trains, steamers and autos the journeying is con stant. Canada is collecting a considerable revenue from this source and the majority public sen timent in the Dominion is evidently not willing to let the prohibitionists of Canada curtail this source of income from the states, a certainty as long as pro hibition is being enforced in the United States with as much zeal as federal prohibition enforcement is making possible at the present time. Each province in Canada legislates for itself in re gard to liquor regulations. Some provinces that have had strict regulations have made modifications and there is seemingly a tendency to modify all along the line, throughout the country. Manitoba recently took a definite step in the direc tion of modification when that province, by a majority of 25,000, voted to replace the general prohibition law with one providing for the sale of liquor in govern ment controlled liquor establishments. The vote was taken on the actual test of the bill submitted to the legislature by the Moderation League. The bill provided for a commission of three to control the liquor system and to establish govern ment stores for its sale in Winnipeg and in such other cities and towns as are considered advisable. Resi dents and visitors over age may, according to this law, buy annual permits at one dollar for the pur chase of liquor, or permits at fifty cents for a single purchase. The permit must be exhibited at the time of the purchase, but the liquor may be delivered and can not be taken from the government store by the purchaser. 1 : Breweries are, according to law, permitted to sell direct to permit holders, making monthly returns of sales and paying a tax on all deliveries. Such liquor as purchased must be consumed or kept only in the homes of the permit holders. The law also provides that districts can eliminate government stores by local option, while profits derived from the system shall be equally divided between the province and the municipalities. With these and similar forms of regulations Can ada, throughout, is only providing a certain respect ability in connection with liquor consumption. Canada wants no saloons and no common drink sales places of the saloon variety, the memory of which is still fresh in the minds of Americans on both sides of the Canadian border, as an institution of pre-prohibition days. The funny part of this traffic is that the man who is so “hard up” that he can not pay his bills at home has seemingly always the money with which to buy liquor both from the bootlegger and to make frequent liquor trips to Canada to quaff of that nectar so much forbidden, here at home. Those who travel regularly “thither” for booze pleasure, all testify to the cordiality of the Canadians as “hosts.” They ask few questions so long as the dol lars are rolling their way. There are evidently many ways in which neighborliness can be created and fos tered. Watch the faces that come and go at the bor der stations. ANOTHER DISCOVERER’S DAY LT ISTO'RICALLY there is today little dispute that 11 the hardy Norsemen, under the leadership of the dauntless viking skipper, Leif (the Lucky) Eriksson, sailed the unchartered seas of the northern main and