Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-12
THE TWO FOUNTAINS.

worthy OF Consideration, and which 1t may do
welto bear in mind for future guidance and action
/ relative to the license question, and hence We
publish it at this late dats.-Eos. JoURSALl
On the banks of the Kinnckinnic there
are two fountains, side by side. The
one is clear, pure, limpid spring, over
hung by high wide shelf of rock and
earth. and from this gushes steadily the
the purest beverage for man and beast
1t is the fountain Of Nature. BY its side
is an artificial fountain. from which flows
at intervals, dark, half fiery stream of
liquid. tempting to perverted taste and
uncertain in its effects-frst iuspiriting,
then degrading, and then languid in its
influence. This fountain is intermittent,
and it is the fountain of Art. Around
it have clustered appetite, fashion and
genius-yea, even beDevoence, virtue,
morality and religiou(D have dipped
their cups therein and drank thereof
Yet to drink is death, aud all who par
take are well aware of the curse it entails.
And not far remote from these foun.
tains are other fountains of imported,
fiery liquid, more puugent, more power
full and more swift 10 their work of de-
struction. They, too, are fountains of
Art, and TO dispense which individuals
are licensed by law. The price paid for
such license is the price Of blood-the
price of bread taken from the mouths of
hungry children, aud the price of sin in
almost every form. So, at least, it is as
serted, and who doubts itg
And who has any moral right to sell
indulCeuces to commit sin? Surely not
an individual, and if an individual has
has not that right, how can we maintain
that collection have that right?
Here then is a question of abstract
right which every man must settle for
himself We must take the law as we
find it, and we must use it either the one
way or .be other, or discard it altogether.
1t is plain that We cannot do the latter
and do it consistently. We cannot ex
cuse ourselves by saying that we will
vote for the best men and leave the re,
sponsibility with them. The responsible
ity is with US, and even inaction will not
excuse us. In that we lend one half a
vote for evil, onehalf vote for good,
possibly. But who is satisfied with that |?
1t is evident that this question of Ii
cense or no license is delicate one, here
at least, from the fact that, since the
town was first organized until now. the
ball has not been fairly opened for a
square fight thereon. We have only had
il by halves, and almost everybody tho't
it best that somebody should sell BEER
But it was somebody only, and no other.
AT length The spell was broken aud the
monopoly fell in fragments.
We have often had milk-and water
tickets, half I>wil and half | dare no.,
but this is the first time the anti license
voters have presented 'front face" with
moral courage enough to nominate a
straight ticket, or backbone enough to
attempt to elect 1t. Dodging behind
screens and wiucing behind curtains is
no longer winning game. Pledges to
those who favor, and mincing to those
who oppose, license will no longer win
votes. Fence riders have tried the seats
of their pantaloons till the greatest dan
ger is not only apparent, but imminent.
For the past year liquor has flown free
ly in our village. and ye lager beer has
flown freely both from licensed and unli-
censed bars, the legitimate consequences
of which need not be portrayed, since,
both by day aud by night, they are ap-
parent TO all.
Now, all things considered, what ac
ton is for the best? Let each individu-
al bring this question home to his own
heart, and duly consider it. There is
there can be no middle ground, and
yet who is not in serious doubt! By
some it is treated as financial question !;
but if to license is wrong, no price in dol
lars is commensurate with the evil. No
one would knowingly do aught to aggra
vate the evil, or in any way engender
strife. We doubt not that each and ev-
cry one will work and vote for what he
deems to lie for the best good of the
whole. 1t becomes an individual ques
ton, involving our duty to ourselves, to
our neighbors, and to society at large.
InferentialIy, at least, license receives
sanction from the laws of the state and
Of the United States, for it cannot be
supposed for a moment that these gov
ernments contemplate the direct licensing
of positive wrong. Patronage is an
other sanction of license. Let us say
what we may of duty and law, example
has its force, and the most potent pro-
hibitory law is that of self.denial. 1t is
good for him who practices it, aud its in
tiuence is salutary upon all. Vain is our
preaching if our conduct fails TO cores.
pond with our precepts. Yet where is
to be found perfect example? Some
partake from the force of appetite some
to test their power Of self control, slyIy
insnuating that they would not trust
their spiritual instructors to venture thus
some indulge in the use of a little
brandy to relieve the rheumatism-some
take little wine occasionally for the