The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-01-28

I His youth and ripens toward higher nature.
Apd Soass. with pinio sn never knoM N,1 before
/ leopold SeAsfer-LayHuA's BreriGry.
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
EDS. NEWS: A newcomer here, and
one of quite party who arrived in your
beautiful and thriving village few
weeks since, take quite an interest in
what appears to be now agitating your
community. I refer to the liquor traf-
fic. The principal, in fact may say the
only, inducement that caused our party
to pick out Emporia for a permanent
residence, in preference to any other
portion of your rich and fast-growing
State, was the fact, as represented to us,
of the strictly temperate character ofits
inhabitants, and the utter impossibility
of legalizing the traffic of this great
source of beggary and crime. You may,
therefore, judge of our surprise when
we see and hear men of supposed re-
spectability talking in favor of and urg-
ing the licensing of the sale of intoxi-
eating drinks, because, forsooth, Mr.. so
and so, respectable druggist, sells, and
therefore the village might as well reap
some profit from the licensing of this
body and soul-destroying poison.
| Messrs. Editors, has it come to this
Can it be possible that sane men, aye,
sir, men who pirate of their respectable
| ity and high standing in this community,
God-fearing and sin hating men can be
found who will, for the paltry dollar
that may be added to your village treas
ury, legalize the sale of that article
which is sure to cast stigma upon your
town that years will be unable to wipe
out.
The oldest real estate paper here, hav-
ing the widest circulation, and that has
done more in the East to call attention
to your growing town and county than
all other elements combined lin one of his
answers to correspondents, says: ''There
is not grog shop in Lyon county, and
we don't want any," That answer,
Messrs. Editors, has, to my certain
knowledge, added, and will yet add,
provided it remains true, largely to your
population. l, for one, have quoted it
(though not myself, practically, tenn
perance MANI far and wide. 1t has given
you reputation that you may well be
proud of. Abolish it; legalize the
damning traffic, and date your downfall
from that period. Or if you thrive-Q
beg pardon, thrive is misnomer.)-If
you increase in population, it will be
from that class of which your jails, poor
houses and gallows receive their great
est number of recruits.
am glad, gentlemen, to see your pa
per filled with communications from the
good and true, from the real friends of
your village, speaking out their senti-
ments against this pestilential innova-
ton. Why do not you, also, in your
capacity as mouthpiece and guardian of
the morals and welfare of your section,
speak out in thunder tones against what
you know-what every man of sense
ought to know-will do more to injure
the growth and reputation of your town
than everything else that could be
brought against it?
Poison the fountain and the stream
entails death. But, says again some
weakened, or some penurious brother,
whose natural instincts Gf it cost any,
thing) would prevent him from tipping,
Doctors Skinfliut and Gradgrind sell
from their drug stores, and why may
not Mr.. Enticer and Mr.. Coaxem have
the same privilege? Ifthe poison is to be
sold, lets receive some pecuniary benefit
from its sale. Our taxes are heavy; let
us decrease them if we can. What, sirs /
decrease our taxes by licensing houses
to poison our sons-sell the very life
blood of our nearest and dearest to save
a few paltry dollars in our pocket!
Does one in q thousand think where
arguments of that kind will lead them
Why not apply it to all other crimes in
the decalogue? Why not license gam
bling, stealing, harlotry, forging, coun-
terfeiting, aye, and even murder, for is
it not murder that you are advocating
murder of both body and soul, here and
hereafter? "But," says the license adj
vocate, ''your argument is far fetched.
1t does not apply. The crimes you
speak of are all contrary to law. No
one has the privilege of committing
them but the druggists have a right to
sell liquor to any one" deny it, my
law-abiding brother; the druggists have
no right to sell unless it is absolutely
needed for a medicine. They may do it,
but that is your fault: it is my fault.
We can and must put stop to it. What
say you? VIII you join hands with me
IN enforcing the law? / will be one of
ten to give a hundred dollars each, or
one of twenty to give fifty dollars each,
to compel these truly respectable gen
uenaeR, tch0 trOUld ScoTn to steal them
selreS, out seho delight to furnish the
stealiRg stimulents to Others for consid-
GRAFTON, to obey the law, or take the
consequences of violating it.
Messrs. Editors, own but little prop
erty in your town, and win own less yet
if you legaliZe crime. In this l speak
the sentiments of hundreds. Speak up,
gentlemen; cry aloud, and spare not do
not let this damning evil be fastened up
on the fair escutcheon of your village
for the want of an outspoken advocate.
The people are honest. All they want
is to be aroused. They will sustain you
fully and freely in all your efforts to
maintain the character and good name
of your town. 1t is now called EN-
poria. Maintain its good name for hon
esty, intelligence, and above all, for So
briefly, and the good and true from all
parts of our common country will flock
TO, and settle upon, its beautiful site, Ga
site second to none in the Union,) until
it becomes in fact what it is SO near in
name, the Emporium of the Southwest.
So mote it be. - -Ess ~ w. j.
Some Congressman are determined to