Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-02-16
COMMUNICATED.

MIR. EDITOR And now comes to
our cars the cry of murder, as one OF
the legitimate fruits of some one OF
those numerous dcns of iniquity,w with
darkcned windows, which stare us in
the face on every hand in passing
along all our principal Streets
The numerous arrests for drunken.
ness that have been recorded in the
daily within the three months that
have lived among you, and the fire.
quent rows that have resulted from
such drunkenness, arc all bad enough
but now that young man has to be
shot down on Main street without any
apparent provocation, it is certainly
time that something should be done.
How do we know, Mr.. Editor, but that
your boy or mine may be the next
victims to be shot down because some
vile, law-defyins saloon-keeper has
sold some one the poisonous draught
1t is generally acccded that it is hard
ly safe for respectable woman to
walk the streets after night unprotcct-
ed, (and the frequent assaults upon
them within the last three months
prove this.) But as a prominent citi-
zen told us the other night in reply too
toast, 'homc is the proper place for
woman, there she is out of danger,
free from contamination" &c. Wen
admit 1t; but what is to be done for a
state of society where even the men
arc not sure of their lives from one
day to another. In all candor, l ask,
is there no remedy for these things? If
the cause can be so easily disscrncd, it
certainly seems like there might be
some means devised Of remedying a
state of society which is hlighting
curse to our fair city.
A city of 1900 inhabitants. with
these dens of iniqnity on every hand.
and not temperance organization in
it! Where, oh where, are the moth
ers, wives and sisters of those who
frequent these haunts Of vice that they
don't do something? "But," said
friend to me the other day, at is Of
no use, there are not ten leading citi-
zens in town who would lend their
influence toward putting down the
liquor traffic here" "for," said she,
tour wealthicst and best citizens have
made their money in that way. and
WELD an influence not to be over
come by any petty organization got
ten up by the womcn!' What re-
Election TO cast upon our lawful pro-
tcctors who hold the mighty lever of
the nation--the ballot---in their
hands!
Go and ask those two broLen-heart
cd mothers, whose homes have been
made desolatc by this terrible deed,
if they held the ballot in their hands,
il they would dare make use of il to-
wards the suppression of the dram
shop, and its twin sister, the brothcl.
What would not the ono do to have
her boy brought back to life and the
home circle; and the other TO have
the memory of such q terrible deed
blotted out forever. But the aforc-
said gentleman in his little speech the
other night, said he feared the conse-
quenses OF female suffrage III the
home circle. What when welded
in the direction putting down such
evils rs these; for what can cause
more domestic unhappiness than the
unlimited and unrebnked indulgence
in two great evils to society?
Now my sisters let us arouse aud
band ourselves together; and if we
can't get ten leading citizens to join ms
perhaps we can get one; and lett
form u temperance organization
whose influence shall be felt toward
the reformation of fallen man. II can
be done, but perhaps not as efficiently
as though the men took hold and
helped us, but let us do what we can
and feel sure the Great Ruler will
not despise our weak effort in so
good cause, and perhaps some Of
our good ministers of the gospel will
dare take stand with us and lend
helping hand. Ii looks like Gods
curse was upon our Town, and il
would seem to be q just one if we
continue to sit idly BY aud see this
work of destruction go on without
raising the warning hand to stay its
progress. Mrs. 4. PunIIrs.