The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-03-31
NOBLE pRrxrIs on rlmeiRAHcr.

In all the turmoil about the prolibitory
liqu6r law, one yfitally Interested party hss
never spoken or been spoken 70. We allutls
to the drunkard, both in inciptemt and cLron-
ie stagss. s.
The law says little about him, and, as Tho
CAsmpjes has had occasion to remark be(6re,
does not admiuister TO him the necessary
tonic, in the way Of punishment, II he Of
tends, and OF course holds out no incentive
to reward him il he keeps sober; for laws
inspire aud cheer nobody. Men may have
been deferred from doing wrong, but no hui
man being was ever yet encouraged to do
right by . statute.
In spite Of this oversight the drinker, the
drunkard, If you please. holds the balance Of
power--he is the arbiter Of the whole busi-
nets. IL the watchword, ''brace up" could
be passed along the whole line. this most
vexed question would be settled. Let every
gentleman set down the three fingers which
at present engage his attention, and the wind
would be taken out Of every temperance lee
turer; the prohibitory law made an empty
collection OF phrases. What would it amount
to If all the saloons were kept open if the
last Of the bummers could wipe his lips
with the back of his hand, and say, mo,
thanks; I don't drink What would be-
come OF the idiOtic discussion whether the
swine Of the Bible" was fermentcd or infer
mented, If each Of us could say, well, II
had been at the wedding Of Cana Of Galilee.
should not have taken any Of the wine.
q 81, Ia i.y mi eli
This sort Of argument cuts the ground from
under the whole angry crowd Of controver-
sialists.
The Champion is free TO say that it wishes
the question could be settled in this way. IL
would be a final and e6ectual settlement.
No saloon keeper could object to 1t: no tenn
perancc man or woman ought to. 1t would
be a blessed thing all around. 1t would save
the countr. from quarrels, prosecutions.
heart burnings, disputes, striics. II would
save it from cant, humbng, SANDER, profess
sional reformers. hired apostles, and another
fool Legislature in Kansas. 1t would give
the pulpit back to its regular and proper
uses it would shut of the Niagara Of slushy
communications to the newspapers, for the
ll3rrasScu tOGineuteu COulu tcl the
contributors to initiate the guzzlers, and
'.dry up" "Dry up" blessed word, and so
general, too, in its application.
'.Dry up" let lis repeat it we linger low
ingIy over the phrase. ''Dry up drunkards,
and you will dry up lot Of other nu;sances.
You will '.dry up'' u fountain Of discussion !;
you .'dry up" crowd Of pestiferous agita-
tors; you "dry up set OF small politicians,
who, strange anomaly, run wind mills by
water.
You dry up for yourself flowing. deep
ening stream of misery; literal fountain Of
tears. You dry up drain on your pocket, !;
90 YOUR ,,,ind on your conscience; on your
heart. You dry up great ocean that now
waits to receive you. And you alone, our
Dirt nkcn friend, can do I'll this. Lobbyists
don't believe it, but sensible men do Pee
pie with patent reformatory machines think
you can be dried up by statute, but you
know better. You know that you must dry
yourself up. You know that IL you want
whisky you will set it. Suppose you stop
wanting any. Try it, old man, and help your
self and the country ana the old girl and the
babies. The thing is worth trying. The
Legislature has overlooked this plan, for the
Legislature did not know much anyhow.
Let this issue be settled by the only men who
can settle .itchison Champion.