The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-05-18
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INCONSISTENCIES OF PROGRESSED
FRIENDS OF TEMPERANCE.


have reason TO respect. Breaking the
package Of inconsistencies, the first that
comes to hand is that most extraordinary |
and inexcusable one, Of which many, even |
members Of temperance societies, are gull |
ty-letting public houses and shops with
the permission to carry on the detestable
and destructive traffic in intoxicating
drinks within their doors. What renders
such course Of conduct altogether mex
cusable in those who practice it, is the
fact they are generally men Of wealth,
who might, without serious inconvenience,
let their estates for other purposes, or
who, if they could not, would not eat less
bread or sleep less hours if they stood
untenanted. Yet many there are who
will condemn the conduct of the heartless
rumseller, although he offers as an excuse
his necessities, and can quote Scripture
to enforce the duty of providing for
"one's household" and talks about ruin,
distress, DC, if he ceases to ruin others !
and yet they will let their tavern or shop
for slaughter-house of souls, for an ad-
ditional rent Of ten, twenty or fifty dollars,
when, repeat, of property they have
enough for present and prospective wants,
and perhaps surplus Sufficient to ruin
their children. In what consists the guilt
Of the rumseller? Is it not that he fur
nishes to vice facilities, TO crime its Incl
tantsl And does not the lessor of the
grog-shop afford to vice facilities, and to
crime means and opportunity? The day
will come--or sadly mistake the signs
Of the times-when he who furnishes the
room in which drunkards and tipplers
may congregate to CRAFTY their base APP
petites will be, in the estimation Of
the public bound in the same bundle with
him who pours TO them poison for money.
how can any protested friend of the cause,
who is guilty of the conduct have des-
cribed plead with tho rumseller or rum
drinker 10 change his coursel He dare
not attempt it. They would both taunt
him with his inconsistency.
Would that this we're the oAly obsta-
Gle which the friends of our cause, infu
cnoed by the love Of money, throw IN The
path of reform. But it is not. Anoth-
err more formidable may be found in the
fact, that many, very many, so far as my
observation extends, even of the members
of our total abstinence societies are con-
stantly in the habit Of trading at rum
stores, having their sugar, tea, spices, DC,
put up by the same hands that pour out
the maddening draught to tho poor drunk
ard. They condemn his business in un-
measured terms, and yet help to sustain
him in his business. They pour into his
drawer the profits of their trade, which,
with his decanters are replenished; and
SO the work goes on. Were the tempe
rance community to withdraw their pat.
ronage altogether and leave him TO the
support of his rum customers, he could
not, in most country towns at least, sus-
tain himself, and if forced by the consis
tency of temperance men TO part with his
rum trade, or their patronage, he would
empty his bottles, and cease to order from
your city, hogsheads of wretchedness
crime, disease, and death, 10 peddle in tho
beautiful villages and towns Of the interior
The business Of destroying Gods boun.
ties and human hopes, so extensively car
ried on by some bloated capitalists o.
your city, would soon become unprofta
bic as it is infamous. The excuses fol
such course Of conduct generally are
that it is more convenient to trade al the
rum store, because il is nearer, or that
the articles they wish to obtain can b.
purchased cheaper of the rumseller thar
at the temperance store. Of any who
may offer such an excuse, l would ask
what thenG Suppose the rumsellcr con
tinues bis trade on the ground that i
would be movement for him 10 chang,
his business or that it would subject hin
to pecuniary loss were he to abandon it
shall he go onl Oh, MOI You will no
consent that his convenience or profit shall
be taken into account in deciding his fu
ture course. You demand that he civ,
up his business perhaps at loss of fiv,
hundred, or thousand dollars per wear
and yet if he refuses TO do SO and contin
NC TO exert his influence curse the com