West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-11-08

injurious TO our moran ana men
tai welfare" then | do not under
stand the meaning of the English
language. If the throwing ont up
on the charities of the people 200,-
600 women and children every
year, and the expanding for liquor
Of an average of about $1,000 head.
Of all our people are not injurious
to the material and moral welfare
of our government. then ! repeat ]
cannot read the English language
Alright or understand its meaning.
But we are told that the liquor
traffic is u business" Isit? Does
it stand before the country
the same as any other
business? Does it2 What goo1
has the sale of liquor ever done
any one? Has it ever added any
thing to the wealth of the country?
In one sense it has, but it has been
to the sacrifice of other and better
interests. Better, far better,
that buildings used for distillation
and sale of intoxicants be given,
over to other branches Of business
which would not poison the NOR
ais of a people or endanger their
lives. Better, far qetter, that the
grain that God gave to man for
food be used in the channel which
He in His providence intended it
to go Better far better that the sew
en- hundred million dollars which
are expended annually for intoxi-
eating liquors in the United States
be cast into the sea. No, my broth
err, you are mistaken when you say
that in the long run, or even tho
"short rum" the liqaor business is.
a benefit to mankind.
Once more, as the preachers say:
If it is legitimate business, as is
claimed, why license it? Why
not put it on the same footing with
all other kinds of business, and let
any one sell it who desires to do
500 Why throw around it the
special protection of the law, SO
that when a man is murdered in q
saloon the saloon-keeper can point
to his license hanging on the wall,
and say to the officer, ~ did not do.
it /; don't you see my authority for
selling the stuff that did the fatal
deed?"
Men of all states, come to the
front and declare against license.
1t is wrong in any light you can
view It, and does not pay in any
you can figure it. have made the
calculations, and know that / ana
right. Figures will not lie; there
fore cannot be mistaken.
1t is well established fact that
real reforms never go backward.
For twenty years | have kept the
run of the great temperance reform
which is now sweeping over our
country, and / am astonished at
the Roadway it has made. To-day
it is the all-absorbing interest in
at least dozen states Of the Union.
1t has got into politics, just
where it belongs. As / said in
he outset, one or the other of the
great political parties of the day
must adopt Prohibition as its lea
ding principle. The politicians
are dubious of it, but the people
are demanding to be heard at the
ballot box, and they are going to
force hearing.
The Republican party was de-
feated in Ohio in the recent elee-
ton, because it was too cowardly
to squarely face the music. and de-
clare in words that could not be
misintcrpreited that it, as party,
was in favor of legal prohibition
and the sanctity Of Gods holy
day Of rest. 1t went half
way, but the time has arrived
when halfway measure will not
count. If our friends "over the riv-
err will take the bull squarely by
the thorns IN the next campaign,
the Democratic victory won by 90
600 majority on free beer and a
desecrated Sabbath, October 10th,
1882, will disappear by 10000 ma
jority the other way, in October.
1884.
In my opinion the issue in near
~ every state in the Union in 1884
will he nrOh hilton or some maaS-