Edinburgh, Sept. 8.
With every week that passes, the struggle between the Trade and the Prohibitionists becomes keener, and the two parties are now fairly' at close, quarters. No political issue within living memory, not even that over the Gladstonian Home Rule Bill, excited more intense bitterness. And, however the referendum goes, there will be left behind a great deal of ill-feeling and the wrecks of wany old friendships.
All over Scotland the Citizens' Councils, as the temperance people call themselves for the purposes of this Local Option battle, are busy collecting signatures to the requisition form demanding the polls. The support of 10 per cent. of the electors is required before a contest is permitted. Tt is claimed by them that in a large proportion of the 1,200 parish and ward areas into which Scotland is divided, the necessary numbers have been obtained, and that the canvassers have still three weeks in hand to complete their work. This meang that close upon 1,200 polls will take, place on the licensing issue at the end of the year.
The "drys" seem quite satisfied with the results so far: they argue that most people, for business and other reasons, do not. care to put their names to requisition forms that are open to inspection by all and sundry, but that under the secrecy of the ballot they will not) hesitate to record their convictions. They also assert that the women's vote will be overwhelmingly against the liquor traffic. The Churches are taking a big part in the contest. A No-Licence Sabbath is to he observed. Every minister will be invited to preach a sermon on the Sunday immediately preceding the poll dealing with the duty of church members as Christian citizens to exercise their rights under the Veto, and recommending a vote for No-Licence.
The Trade are fighting grimly, for them it is a matter of life or death. A voluntary levy upon licence holders has been heartily responded to; the brewers and distillers are contributing liberally; and the licenced victuallers of England are sending money to the north. The Trade purse, indeed, isa large and deep one, and is being spent most lavishly in an "offensive defensive."
It is scarcely possible to criticize a battle which is only started, but it mays be said that the Trade seems to have the best electioneering organization and the most skillful tacticians. The Citizens' Councils, en the other hand, have the possession of the greater number of voluntary workers and the best public speakers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.