Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-03-26
ENFOaCE THE LAW.

ENTORCE THE LAW.
An earnest EFFORT is now being made to
enforce the liquor law in this city. Upon
those who ere aware to what extent viola.
sions Of the law have been carried ia Inde>
pcndencc, it is entirely unnecessary to urge
the importance and necessity Of this move.
naent; but for tho information Of those who
have made no special observations upon this
subject, il may be well to state few facts
concerning the effects in our own midst OF
the damning crime.
For many years no systematic effort has
been made in this city to enforce the liquor
Law. The difficulties attending evidence
have been SO great that whenever a move
ment has been proposed, mountain has
seemed to lift itself in the way and the friends
ofsemlerance have become discouraged at
the prospect. Last year public movement,
was inauguratsd and plan of operations
decided upon bat when action become nee
essary, and display Of untiinching moral
courage was called for, the enthusiasm Of
some Of those whose active cooperation was
essential to success, became suddenly chilled,
aud a. . consequence the movement was
abandoned. This was . compound failure,
inasmueh a. il afforded direct incentive to
liquor dealers to pursue their traffic even
more openly than before. From that time
to the present, liquor has flowed freely in the
ram>holes Of Independence. Indeed, so ap.
athletic have been the friends of temperance,
that liquors have been kept openly display.
ed in the saloons, and have been sold freely
bS the glass in open violation Of the laws Of
she State. Drunkenness has run riot. Old
men with hairs siversd over with are have
many time been CARRIED, in state Of loath.
acme, drunken insensibili,y, to their sorrow.
ing families whose tears and affec.iona,e en-.
treaties have been unAvailing to keep them
from the temptation of the open bar. Scores
and scores Of men just in The prime Of Life
men with loving families dependent upon
their labor for support--men whose hearts
were right, but whom the temp.er had
conquered and made weak as children
men who but for the hell holes which have
been their ruin, would be worthy and useful
Sisizens-have been drawn, step BY step,
from beer TO wine, from wine to whiskev in.
to the meshcs Of the web Of ruin, woven BY
dozen saloons whose enticing card and
billiard tables, and more en,icing decan.ers
aglow with the fires Of alchohol, have afford.
ed An ever-prcsent fascination from which it |
seemed impossible for them to escape. Poor,
broten-down wrecks Of humanity, they have
been made curse to their families and a |
burden to society BY the criminals who have |
held out to them the irresistible temptation. |
But most startling Of all, it has become a |
habisual occurrence for very many Of the
young men and boys Of our city to spend
their evening hours At the billiard aud card |
tables Of the saloons-generaly without the
knowledge Of their parents and friends,
whom they deceive with plausible excuses
for their absence. There are many mothers
and sisters in this city whose hearts would |
be wrung with bitter anguish did they know
the whole truth with regard to their sons and
brothers, who are taking the FIRST steps on
tho downward course. This is no fancy
idea; it is but hint Of the whole truth
The Good Templars have done what they
could to eounteract this vile whisky infu.
encs. They have rescued many from .
drunkard's doom, encouraging item to over
come the TEMPER and live like men among
men. Many wife and sister to-day blesses
the Good Templars for having saved . dear
husband or q brother. Blu. with large por.
ton Of the avowed temperance people Of the
community against them, what could Good
Templars do 10 stem the tide Of intemper-
snce? Only, as We have said, to rescue
few and prevent few others from falling,
and perhaps 70 keep alive spark Of TEN
pesance feeling in our midst. While this Of
itself vas noble work and made the main
tenance Of the organisation desirable, yet no
slass ia community have 30 fully realized
the necessity for vigorous enforcement Of
our prohih;tory liquor law as Good TEN
plars themselves. They are now striking the
frss blows, and they ask the open, avowed
support Of every temperance man and wo-
man in the community in their efforts to en-
force the Law. Every persons influence in this
matter is either f.r or against The rummies.
Silence will b construed as favoring the
whisky interest. The latent public
sentiment Of this city is in favor Of the Law.
Let every individual have the moral courage
70 openly declare this sentiment. and there
viii remain no insurmountable difficulty in
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