Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-07-20
SOUTHPORT, WIS: FRIDAY, JULY 90, 1910.

Oh the traffic upon prescribed conditions, but a
the same time so orders the conditions as {,
reach effectually the strong fort behind which
tins class of men have intrenched themselves
While they have continued TO deal out their poi
son upon community. When we have. an
preached them with arguments of moral suasior
to induce them to cease their traffics, they have
plead its necessity to success in their business
Say they, should discontnne the sale of alec.
holic liquor, must of necessity give up bust.
ness; without it | cannot support my family,
As consequence, we must experience poverty
and degradation. Such men are allowed freely
to choose, but with the assurance that if they
VIII sell the poisonous beverage they must bde
the consequences entaied Will they freely
make husbands and fathers, sons and brothers.
idle, vicious and insane, they must in pecunia-
ry point OF view bear the consequences of the
ldleness, the crime and insanity which they
freely andwillingly create And that such me
may be rendered competent TO meet the conse-
quences of the alcoholic beverage vended by
them, they are required to obtain bonds to the
amount of one thousand dollars, with the names
OF three or more responsible men residing in the
place, who shall be accountable for all the iniu-
RES attending such traffic. Should they neglect
compliance with these conditions while thew
or by giving it in any manner for the sake of
evasion, the act is deemed by this law INSIDE
meanor, and punished as such by a fine of not
less than tltynor more than five hundred dollars,
and by imprisonment in the county Jail not less
than ten days nor more than six months. At
inns rate such men must pay dear for that free
dom, the Indulgence Of which they so much
prize. For as consequence of this indulgence
IN their loved vocation, besides meeting the ne
cunlary fines they must become culprits within
the damp walls of the county JAIL This is GER
talnly freedom with vengeance
All that Is necessary for one to avail himself
OF TINS security in the case of prosecutions in adj
dltion to the proof of injuries resulting from the
traffic In ale hol is to obtain of the civil officer
with whom said bond shall be filed according to
the provision of this law, a copy of the same
properly authenticated which testimony is avail
able In all courts of Justice in this State In
such trial of the vender of alcohol, in order to
prove him guilty of doing the injuries incurred.
1t must be shown in testimony that he sold or
gave spirituous liquor to the individual made
drunk on the day previous to his effecting the
injuries. Thus the law makes perfectly simple
and plain the process of procedure, and if prop
er caution be used the final result can be atten-
ded by no doubt whatever.
proper authorities of county, city, town, or vii
lage, to proceed against any liquor vender, who
by his traffic has contributed to reduce men or
women to state of pauperism, and who have
become public charge, to collect of him for all
such expenses And truly no civil provisions
can be more just. 1t proceeds upon the ground
OF for value received. 1t says to the liquor ven
der, here you have realized the value for all this
poverty and degradation in the privilege you have
enjoyed IN acting unrestrained according to your
own choice in the matter, and this in addition to
the pecuniary compensation obtained while ex-
ercising that freedom. Now here are the fruits
OF your free agency in the charges of helpless
pauperism incurred. Pay wket thou owest.
But one of the most beautiful features OF this
law is its tender care for the wife or mother, the
one most injured of all others by the vender of
the poisonous beverage. 1t provides that she
be empowered to prosecute for whatever ruin
shall be effected within the limits OF her loved
circle. Up to the creation of this provision wo-
man has had no such recourse in days, months,
and years of bitter anguish. She could only
press upon her loved husband or son in their So
Der moments her affectionate caution; or what
has often been done, leave her dcsolate home
and through midnight darkness endcavor to
wrest them from the power of the vender of al
cohol. But her tears have flown in his presence
like drops of genial rain upon a rock of adamant
She has been compelled to return to her forsa-
ken dwelling with no light, except may be the
morning star of Bethlehem from eternity's hor-
lion, to cheer the night Of her soul. But en-
powered by this law, she can unclench his mi
serly and murderous fingers from his steel or
stolen purse and cause the shining dollars to
flow, and she can point him to bolted prison
4 = n An linly Al h
will avail herself of her of restitution and
fence? All tellit not in Gath She will no
more be crushed by the vender of alcoholic poi
son into an immature grave by mountains of I'M
ayoidable sorrow. This Wisconsin Temperance
law Is worthy of Immortality for reason of this
provision alone. May immortal blessings de-
scend on all who contributed to its production.
The last provision in this law which we shall
notice is that wherein the yender himself, while
in the exercise of his priced freedom is made an
etfectual reformer in the temperance cause
Saith the law making the provision referred to,
amy person against whom Judgment may be
obtained under the provisions of this act, shall be
entitled to maintain suit or compel contribu-
ton toward paying the judgment against him
against all persons engaged in such traffic in
such county, city, town, or village, who may
have sold or given liquor to such person COM
hitting an offence or becoming public charge"
BY the provisions of this section the arms of
the enemy are turned upon himself. Like the
hosts OF the Midianites against which Joshua of
old went forth TO war, each man will be turned
against his fellow, and with his own sword will
complete the work of defeat. The bearing of
this process on old king alcohol refers me to
fact of early childhood. When the boys of the
neighborhood were gathered in sport, we were
wont TO obtain smooth barn floor where we
would secure plenty of brick and block of
wood of the length and size of two or three
bricks. And when the material was thus all in
readiness for action we would commence the
arrangement for exhibition. We would first
stand the block of wood on end in the centre of
the floor and another block on top, which last act
we termed browning the old king We would
then place a brick ON end within about four in
ches of our side of the block of wood, and then
another brick we would station the same dis
lance from the former one and SO on arranging
them in regular curve outward. We would
thus wind a row of bricks standing within four
inches one another some three or four or times
around the old crowned king occupying the
centre in glorious elevation. Then comes the
signal for the splendid performance One boy
takes his position by the last brick in the wind
ing row, while another with hat in hand high
raised, occupies conspicuous point before the
eyes of all. The precise time has come. The
hat falls and at the Instant the brick turns oyer