Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-31

per. Yours truly, ]. &. MCKEE.
DopGEvlLLE, JAN. 22-EpS. DEM
.oCRAr: = 4 communication in the
last issue of the DEMoCRAT. headed
prohibition" attracted the attention
OF II we'll wisher of society nj large"
who now wishes to drop 4 hint or
two for your consideration.
There are only two sides to the
liquor question. and every man, wo-
man and child in this country is on
the one side or the other. The whiSkey
vendors, their advocates and II. b.
constitute one side, and the Christian
Church, and the TRUE "well-wishers Of
society," the other.
And now Mr.. Il. b.. allow me- to ask
you a plain question, let your con-
science be your master, and the next
issue of the DEMOCRAT contain your
answer: Are you, together with those
attached to the draught that intoX-
icates fitted for social intercourse that
is pure and cleyating? Are you and
your supporters in the liquor traffic
prepared in spirit for communion with
Him who has said, Look not upon
the wine?"
AS u church member (as am led by
the reading Of your article To believe
that you are) you pray: Our Father
who art In heaven: hallowed be thy
name,' etc. 1t requires no torturing
languague to show that the words
LEAD rs NOT INTO TIE IMITATION"
are in line with the present thought.
Who tire more feartully heset than
those who feel the lure of the inebri-
briating glass. Millions of noble
souls, with agonizing struggles against
its facinations have been drawn to
despair and death. For the supply OF
your bodily wants you ask, Give us
this day our daily bread you pray
for SUsTENANCE, not for sTIMVLANTS!
The prayer is the perfect semblance of
sobriety and temperance. The closing
supplication, Deliver us from evil"
goes to the root Of misery-DRUNK-
ENNEss. What form Of sin more dis
tressing, more appalling to the inn
aginationImore appalling to the SEN
sibilities than that to which our
thoughts are now turned! Does not
this vice unfit man for life among
his fellow men, and also insure Il
miserable eternity.
The question appears to be whether
or not We shall license the liquor
traffic. say most emphatically, No!
This No is not from myself alone but
from every TRUE "well-wisher of
society at large"
| VIII q. Is. point out to me wherein
licensing Of the liquor traffic has done
any good? In what instance does ii
benefit trader There is no industry
whether of head or hand that does not
suffer pecuniarily from the traffic in
Intoxicating drinks. The money that
goes into the till of the grog-shops
ought to go to the butcher, baker
grocer, shoemaker, or some other Of
the many tradesmen whose industry
is benefit to the public. There are
those who are 40 rich that their
liquor bills do not interfere with THEN
ability to supply the real or imaginary
wants of their families, we will admit
but the number of such is exceedingly
minute when compared with the
thousands of men unable To supply
their families with the necessities Of
life through the root of nearly all
crime and notwithstanding drink.
| luC SiOS Id DuollltoO
of every trade-they not only attract
to themselves the money which be-
longs to others, but labor to under
mine the industrial habits Of their
customers, and incapacitate them from
earning more. No one can suppose
for moment that indulgence in
strong drink helps mans linan-
cial condition. Every year hundreds
of men are reduced to poverty, shame,
and disgrace by drunkenness, and who
ever heard of such habit assisting
its victims to fortuneg This being
the effect produced by strong drink,
who will venture TO say that a man is
made better, physically, morally or
socially by the use of them.
Had it been proposed to license
gambling and prostitution, pulpits
would have Numbered and lightened
too, and the great and little congrega-
tons would have been told in mann
biguous Saxon phrase their duty; and
the press big and little, religious and
secular would have groaned under the
weight Of its arguments and protests.
And why? What are the gambling
bells and brothels without the grog-
shops? Put down by law the
latter and the former will diminish as
a matter Of course because the source
of their reinforcement will he cut Off.
Gambling dens and brothels cannot
/ flourish without rum, for this is the
/ Hf ~ min a