“The State of Rhode Island has recently passed--to its own great surprise--a ‘prohibition law.’ The state did not really want the law. It was not passed as a matter of principle. The Republicans voted for the law to spite the Democrats; the Democrats to spite the Republicans. No one thought that the aggregate of votes thus cast would make the legal majority. But so it happened. Now, the State of Rhode Island is a small community, and, like most small communities, it is narrow, ignorant, and, save in things material, unproductive. One of the chief sources of revenue upon which it depends is its wonderful collection of Summer watering-places, which bring travel and traffic to the state and put many thousands of dollars into circulation every year. These places are supported by a civilized lot of people from the great cities--people who are accustomed to drinking wine and beer and whatever else they fancy; and, as a rule, in moderation. If they find that the new law interferes with their perfectly legitimate customs in this regard, they will leave Rhode Island for some more liberal and sensible state; and Rhode Island will be so much the poorer, and so much the wiser. No decent man will submit to be put in the category of criminals because a few hysterical women and unbalanced men think that the use of alcohol is as much a crime as its abuse.”--PUCK, _August 4th, 1886_. [Illustration] FIRST ANNUAL PICNIC OF THE “KNIGHTS OF LABOR”--MORE FUN FOR THE SPECTATORS THAN FOR THE PERFORMERS. _PUCK, June 21st, 1882._ The cartoon suggested by the “First Annual Picnic of the Knights of Labor” can hardly be said to belong to PUCK’S famous group of labor cartoons. Its appearance preceded by some four years the great discussion of the labor question; and it is essentially what is known to artists as a “situation” picture, aiming at nothing more than the simple presentation of a fact. But it is curious to note that it was called forth by the futile strikes in the iron mill region, and even at that early date the editorial comments accompanying the cartoon ascribed the anomalous condition of affairs principally to the inequalities of fortune engendered by the protective system. The comments close thus: “It is not extravagant wages that the workman wants, it is purchasing power with the wages he does earn.” [Illustration] ARBITRATION IS THE TRUE BALANCE OF POWER. _PUCK, March 17th, 1886._ It should be distinctly stated that this cartoon is not to be regarded as having a general or abstract application. It appeared during the first street-railway strikes in New York; and the lesson it tries to teach was addressed especially to the corporations which, acting as common carriers and holding valuable franchises, were putting the public to great loss and inconvenience in carrying on a protracted struggle with their employees, wherein there was little doubt that right and justice were entirely on the workmen’s side.