Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-02-16
Plea for the LIauor SelIorsI

Mr.. EDIToR:-Has it ever occurred to
you that whilst almost every profession,
and every other branch of business,
from time out of mind, have required
the aid of newspapers and books to keep
them alive and 1Ourishing, our business,
selling liquor,) never invokes such as
~sistance. No sir, the liquor traffic stands
on its own merits, and keeps IN in the
ever tenor of its way, increasing year
after year, whilst many other callings,
with all the help of the press in its
various ways,
"Sleep the sleep that knows no waking"
Ours, like our liquors, improves by
age, and has been subject to but few
drawbacks, until recently the temper
ance men, and women too, seem to per-
secute us with more than their usual
vim. Yet, we trust these prosecutions,
as heretofore, will be short timed, and
we come out of the ordeal with cnlors
flying. when the present excitement
subsidies.
Why, sir, the people must have relax
alton from the perplexiHes of business,
and there must be some place for them
to enjoy it in; and what place so appro-
pirate as a good saloon.
You would not expect a man of bust
ness 20 spend a whole evening at home
with no company bat his wife and child
rem! Preposterousi he would Don be-
come a confirmed hypochondriac.
No, sir. Man must have some innocent
amusement, and this we provide for
him. We all encourage the harmless
games of cards and dice, and some of
us have billiards and bagatelle, or other
pastimes, equally moral and edifying.
l think, too, anything that has a tenden-
cy to humble aristocrstic feelings, and
bring men to the same level, should be
encouraged in this land of equality
Now, I contend, that nothing has so
great an influence in that direction, as q
comfortable saloon, with its fixtures.
Why, 1 can show you any evening, in
my saloon the scavenger, the doctor, the
cooper and the lawyer, (the ministers
don't come to my room much,) playing
cards on the most intimate terms of
equality, and equally honorably, each
paying for the drinks whenever he loses
the game, without grumbling. 1t almost
brings tears to my eyes, to think this
labor of love will soon have to be aban-
doned, unless this persecution ceases.
Already, the most of us are Obliged to
resort TO strategy, that in other kinds of
business, would be deemed disreputable.
Some of US close our shops when the
time for court draws near, and pretend
TO have quit the business, so as TO throw
the officers of their guard, thus loosing
ouI best season of business, for court
times, in former years, were harvest
times for us. Again, we pretend to "sell
out" just before court, and leave town,
or keep 'shady," till it is over, when we
resume business again, but if these
lodges should be discovered, goodness
knows what we will have to resort to
next. 1t seems hard, when a man is
trying TO make an honest living, that he
should be thus harrassed, and then to
think of the danger of spending thirty
days in that old nuisance of a Jail, it IS
almost enough to drive a man mad. or to
work, for a living, and if they don't stop
their COMPOUNDED foolishness pretty soon.
there will not be a respectable saloon in
the city. BoNSTPACE-