Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-09-15

| or nus, arrows, and death Do you
say you have no right as private indi'
viduall II you have no right TO do II
in your private capacity, have you
when associated with others! Have
you a tight, when you 90 to the polls
To vote for a supervisor or magistrate
whom you know to be in favor Of grant
ing licenses, or for an ussemblyman who
will .ote against the Maine law. be-
cause the multitude thus vote II you
have, then you have right to 90 through
the community and inflict upon families
the evils which result from this traffic.
IL is both law and common sense thai
what mans agent does he does him.
self. 'f yo1 vote for msn who is 10
favor OF perpetuating this traffic by IL
censirg q the rumseller, he is your agent,
and is doing your work, for which God
will hold you responsible. No man oI
common intelligence, II appears to me,
can see any difference in the degree oI
criminalily between the voter. the off,
Ger. and the rumseller.
This was the view John Scrbner
took OF this snbject. He believed the
rumseller, though he had license, had
no right to sell spurious liquors as a
common beverage. He considered the
great mnss OF liquor dealers as useless
appendages to society. He could see
no good resulting from their business
but "evil. and only evil, and that contin.
uslly." He held the doctrine that ev-
cry person should be producer, should
in some useful way reward the commu-
nifty for his support and protection. He
thought II was just as reasonable for
man TO ask another TO eat his bread as
to earn il for him. The great lass OF
rumsellers he considered consumers,
without rendering any equivalent what
ever To society-consumers not only oil
the fruits Of others toll, but the consul
mers of peace. happiness, reputation,
and the bodies and souls Of men.
One day Scribner met P,rks on the
sidewalk, when the following conversa-
ito n passed between them -
Mr.. Parks, what good do you expect
10 accomplish in this world asked
Scribner.
What good! Why, ] expect to take
care Of my family. The Bible says,
He that provides not for his own is
worse than an infidel.'
Yes; but, in providing for your own,
are you not under obligation to regard
the welfare OF others
suppose have nothing to do with
others. Ny business is to take care ol
my myself aud family, replied Paris,
somewhat ugitated.
II that principle, Mr. Parks, was
adopted by every man. would il not
break up aud destroy societyi
have nothing to do with society. |
must look out for number one, and le,
every body else take care ofthemselves.
Mr.. Parks, you are member Of this
community and, since you are protected
in all your natural rights, we have G
right to expect that you will do some
thing to build up and support It; but in
stead of that you are doing ell you can
TO weaken. injure. and destroy 1t.
What do you mean How, wis.l
to know, have weakened and injured
society Haven't | always paid nv
taxes /! Haven't | always met prompt
ly my school bills And havenr l al.
ways paid punctually my corporation
taxes asked Parks, IN loud aud bois.
ferrous manner.
know, Mr. Parks, you have paid your
taxes but you have reduced many in
this village so low they have no taxes to
pay. IL is true, you have met punciu-
ally your school bills but | can point
you TO eight or ten whom you have rem
dered unable to pay theirs. And know
too. you have paid your assessments /;
but your business increases mine and
every other business mans TO an alarm-
ing extent.
My business increases your taxesl--
! shsuld like TO have you make that np.
pear exclaimed Parks, Indignantly.
The truth Is. Mr.. Parks, your business
tends directly to saddle the community
with heavy and unjnst tax; aud IL |
give you the evidence, you won't be-
lieve IL.
| defy you, Mr.. Scribner, 10 produce
any such eviden, o. ]. Is Que thing to
make an asserslon, andlu,e another to
prove u, replied Parks.
WHY was Il, Mr.. Parks, that Nose
Whlpple and Sam Laraby were not able
To pay their school bills last winter -
Was IL not on account OF inlcmperancal
Their bills. which amounted TO seven
dollars, | had to help pay; and Il was
all because yousnd Doty took their mon.
ey for rum.
Well, there were others who couldn't
paw their school bills. Widow Scovills
couldn't pay hers do you you charge
that 10 rum too
Certainly | do. You have forgotten
the last drink her husband took at your
bar, which caused his death, hayen't
you !
Scribner, have heard enough about
that. IL is time that was dropped
You and your fanatical clan are forever
harping about Scovil;e's freezing To
death, said Parks, In rage.
know YOU have heard al, you wish
to hear on the subject; but you called
for evidence, and mean you shall have
Il. But for the liquor you sold TO Bill
ScovilIe he might have been alive now,
and been useful citizen, and able To ed
ucatc his children. But you and Doty
killed him. which has made u necessary
for me and others to school his chill
dren. rl.sr -n
Lay II all to liquor. II 1t wasn't for
liquor and tumsellers, | don't know what
you and Donaldson would do for some
thing to talk about. You have so long
harped upon il, that you can't talk oT
think about any thing else. ..,f.t
Parks, | want you to understand that
we don't mean to talk about any thing
else till you and your brother, rumsel'
lers abandon your wicked traffic, ant
engage in some honest employment fol
a living.
no you mean to insinuate, sir, tha
my business is not honest ? asked Parks
excited. Il fna..n.ufl ,af w
Most certainly | do. Is II honest Il
take from a man his money, aud givt