Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-03-12
Gsmptrante Column.
An Erroneous Idea.

Many persons erroneods!y think, that
the license system, is source of rcve-
nue. to the government, that if it was re-
moved the taxes would be considerably
inrei,ed what a mist ,ken idea. Rev.
John Winters, D. D. in the Vindicator
says:
| 1t entails loss in a pecuniary sense.
at least five fold greater than the amount
secured for the license in the exsense so
incurred to suppdit inebriate paupers,
and in furnishing criminals. No lar
guage can portray the evils which are
inflicted upon the poor deluded victims
Of receivers of the madening poison
The mind becomes debased, the ply ysical
energies demoralized, the honor and pride
of manhood lost. and resistance to the
evil destroyed. The wife becomes brok-
en- hearted, having, lost all marital enjoy
ment and hope, the children starving va
grants, and often lost to society. The
holocaust to this sacrifice of "the liquid
fire of distilled damnations," is itiinS
one hundred thousand graves annually.
Then look at the waste and expense of
making 72 100000 gallons of this distill-
ed liqnid fire, annually and Of 100000
hands employed IN the manufacture Of
this poison and 10000 liquor shops.
with 100000 beings callel human engag-
ed in enticing men to drink the poison
which they deal out.
And what is the tremendous cost of
all this One thousand millions OF dol
lars to the consumer. and the worse than
waste of one thousand five hundred mil
lions more of labor lost in consequence
of the intemperance created But even
this is not all, The support Of paupers
created by the evil costs fhe country
S35, 100000, and the criminal expenses
in judges, juries. jails, pcuitentiaries. and
sickness Of the iuebriate, swell the
amount to not less than SlO,2OO0OO
more, leaving ont of the bill S57 100000
capital invested to keep agoing 26 900
distilleries existing in the nation.
These vast, complicated, numerous
evils were not what Legislatures were es-
tablished by freemen to create, or to sus-
tain by license and law. Justice, liberty
righteous ness, the strength and well Be-
ing of the State, the peace, prosperity
harmony and happiness of families. all
forbid such injurious, if not Satanic leg
islation as this.
If legislation can enact laws against
tainted and injurious food, or the sale of
poisonous drugs, and varions other evils,
and the propagating infections diseases
must they not be chargegble with climi-
nal Indifference TO the general welfare to
license the sale CT that which is produc-
tive of the greatest evil which ever aiflic-
ted mankind ? No one would claim for
legislation the right to license houses of
i'll fame, or men TO steal horses yet
these are not Sc injurious as what is now
licensed.
Is it not timo for law makers to con-
slider those facts. and what their duties
are respecting them Does not the Ii
cense system trample upon the rights
liberties, interests and happiness of the
people d? Do not Legislators in making
or continuing, or Governors in approving
such laws need to look at their fearful
responsibility
But the question i,, what can be done
in the matter ? The answer is all who
see, feel and deplore these facts must
unite upon grand ald eonquering points,
and raise their standard and declare "No
more license to any one to murder or de-
stroy, as far as We eau prevent the same;
prohibition, total and universal" To ac-
complish this we must combine, cooper
ate all moral and Christian force. Union
is strength. Let us have one general
plan aud fixed determination, and let the
battle cry be thai plan.
No,c is tie time to raise the battle cry.
There is no important election before US
for years to divide our forces or block
up our way. l.et US watch our enemies
and mark them as The enemies of man,
and encourage every real friend, repeliing
no genuine one of the cause Then the
victory will be certain. 1t is too great
to expect it III an hoar or yeal. But.
in the name Of God, let US set up on,
banner.
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