The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-06-02
i'rohibifitn.

devoted major part oi our editorial space TO
labcred arguments and imprisoned appeals
in favor OF the adoption If the proh.Litory
law to be voted upon by our people Oh Mon
day next, it is not because we have felt no
interest in the result The question had
been SO ably handled by correspondents, AID
by other writers from whom we quoted, and
generally 50 well canyassed and understood
by the voters generally, that We found little
occasion, so far as our own town and county
is concerned, fox pitching in with that IN
crgy which SO impcrtant an issue would seem
to call iUi. We believe our people fully un-
dcrstand the question, and are prepared to
vote uponit; our only fear is that, fully alive
as they are to the gigantic nature Of the evil
tie law is intended 10 suppress, they win yet
do themselves and the community in which
they live the injustice to stay from the polls,
and thus leopard a cause which ifthey lima
gined to be in real danger, they would be
ready TO make many sacrifices to save. We
can assure them that although in our own
county we may have a large majority in ia
y9r oftho prohibitory Law, there Is danger,
for IN many portions of our state never was
a bad cause more zcalously and earnestly
supported, and the result will show MAORI
ties on the other side in those regions that
will astound such intelligent and temperance
loving communities rs ours.
We have been led to such conclusion from
the sophistical character Of tho very argu-
ments made use by the anti-prohibition pa
pers and orators against the law We find
these to be addressed almost entirely to the
ignorance, prcjudiccs, and cupidity of voters.
The ignorant are invoked by the argument,
based upon fasehood that liquor in moder
ate quantities, is a nccdfnl ana healthy slim
ulant to revive the energies Of the body OK
hausted 10y hard labor the farmers are inyo-
kcd by the cry that to stop the distilleries
will lessen the price Of corn and popular
prejudice is invoked by the cry that men are
to be lesislatcd into morality, and personal
liberty is to be restrained. When men, like
these anti.tcmperance editors & orators who
arc intelligent enough to know better, yet
stoop low enough to use such arguments, it
is an evidence that they are using them to
some purpose Men will not 50 far degrade
themselves for nothing. What respectable
physician or intelligent man but knows that
alcohol is injurious in every shape and form
it can be taken? That it excitcs but TO dc.
press, and stimulates only to doubly exhaust
the system? As to depreciating tho price
of grain, can any intelligent man be made to
believe that physical and moral spolation--
the multiplying Of paupers and criminals
with their attendant train Of taxation, can
ever be made the source of permanent
wealth to farmersg And as to legisla,ing
men into morality, and restraining personal
liberty, it is enough to say, that the intcli
gence of the age regards the vending of in
toxcating liquors as a nuisance, as a public
wrong-a crime, and as such calls for its
punishment. Psychologists have dcmonstra-
ton Of his physical organism, becomes a
species Of mailman, who has neither the
power to act as a good citizen, or restrain
his appetite when the means Of gratifying it
arc before him, and the sale or giving OF H.
quor TO such man therefore is as much
crime as to give razor to an insane man
determined on committing suicide. The re-
straint on personal liberty is nothing more
than restraint on the liberty of man to
do an injury to his ncighbor. If to restrain
such a liberty is a wrong then have the
thief, the gambler, the iucendiary and muir
dercr the same tight TO complain, for all
these together inlct less injury on The com
munity than the manufacturers and vendors
of alcoholic liquors. True liberty consists
In obedience to wholesome aws-in doing to
others as you would have them DO unto
YOU not in violating every principle of NOR
al rectitudc and becoming the slave to ones
low passions and appetitcs. Communities
have right to protect themselves against
gross evils in their midst and they exercise
it constantly. Our corporation abates and
Furnishes nuisances, fines and imprsons a
man for selling diseased meats and unwhole-
some provisions, and "adulterated or un.
wholesome drinks, and what drinks can be
more So than tho liquors sold at our dogse-
rics So. '"
But VIC had no intention, at this late
hour, to make an argument in favor Of pro-
hibtion. We simply wished to urge our
people to SO to the polls-Io the POLLS .
Give one day to your country, to truth and
the right! ..t r.a.. ..