License or Prohibition
by George Albert Leddy
THERE’S NOTHING SO BAD
BUT IT MIGHT BE WORSE
DON’T DECIDE IN A HURRY
THINK WELL OF IT FIRST
The politicians gathered,
‘twas nearing election time,
The subject for discussion was a prohibition town.
The Speaker said the License
which some thought would be so fine,
Had proven worthless; perhaps this year
they’d vote to turn it down.
Perhaps someone who’d voted YES, each year throughout the past,
Had sadly learned a lesson, each and everyone should know;
Through some loving son or brother, who now treads the downward path;
Would waken to their folly, and their vote would be a NO.
The Speaker grasped the bottle;
held it high and loudly cried:
“Behold the hideous reptile with its fiery, poisonous fangs!
He’s ruler of the chasm which is yawning deep and wide;
And waiting for the victim who now o’er the high cliff hangs!
“We must unite and fight him; fight him to the bitter end!
We must unite an army; lay a snare and catch the foe!
The welfare of our country on our victory now depends!
Our war munition is our vote;
Our vote must be a NO!”
He smashed the bottle crying,
“Start the war and set us free!”
When lo, a fiery Dragon from the bottle did appear.
He jumped around and goaded like a hell-fiend in its glee,
And roared, “It is defiance, gentleman, that brings me here!
“For I defy you boldly, do your worst, I’ll still exist;
For I have had experience,
many, many years - ‘tis true.
I’ll live through Prohibition when the License you’ve dismissed.
The better that you treat me; well,
the best ‘twill be for you.
“Just take me to your hotel where they have a decent bar,
And place me where the public, who desire, may stroll in;
And I will sit there calmly, come they near or stay they far;
I will not use my power to influence temperate men.
“I will not bid a welcome to the young or to the weak;
I’ll turn them from my portals when they seek to enter here.
I cannot do the cursed work;
I’m held down so to speak.
The License Law will hold me;
so there’s nothing much to fear.
“But when you kill the License which protects you from my sting,
And call Old Prohibition in
to act as outer-guard.
It is then I’m free to ramble;
‘tis then I’m in full-swing;
‘Tis then I strike the blow, and the blow I strike is hard.
“‘Tis then you set me free like a lion from the cage;
Like a panther, like a snake,
like a devil - fierce am I.
Then I capture weaker men, and I curse them in my rage,
And I hold them in my clutches like a demon ‘till they die!
“They will stumble through the alley to the backdoor of some den;
I’m on every other street under Prohibition’s care;
And I swear to do my damnedest
to lead men into sin;
When there’s no License Law
to disturb my precious lair.
“I’ll grasp the young and simple; grasp the old and weak of mind;
Grasp the husband and the brother,
and I’ll hold them ‘gainst their will.
There is something ‘bout my dens
makes them linger for a while.
At last they learn to hate it, but they linger, linger still.
“I’ll catch him and I’ll drag him to some place I hold command;
I’ll give him good and plenty till I craze the weakened brain.
I’ll take a sharp-edged dagger,
and I’ll place it in his hand;
Then bring him to his senses just to gaze on one he’s slain!
“And then the cry of ‘Murder!’
will go ringing through the air.
The policemen then will enter;
take the murderer to the Law.
He then receives the verdict:
‘Sentenced to the electric-chair.’
Ah, then is Prohibition right or does it hold a flaw?”
“My last words!” roared the Dragon in a voice of snarling hate,
“Think well before you mingle;
let well enough alone.
Don’t vote for Prohibition and regret when it’s too late.
Just leave it to the wise men whom experience has shown
The License law is safer for it holds me in my place;
So close, I cannot do much harm - to that I must confess.”
A flash; a roar; a rumble heard;
and then a vacant place.
The Dragon vanished in a smoke;
The Speaker roared, “Vote YES!”
***