West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-02-22
WESTVIRGINIA FREEMAN.
From the Other Side.
Gtve Us oar Rights.

ten anything tor several weeks,
waiting to see what was going to be
the result of the session of the Leg
islature,
Having perfect confidence in the
adroit skill of oar side in getting
folks to dodge the question as it
came before them, we felt that we
would be able to defeat the meas
ure, though every voter in the State
would 81 gn the petition. And
though it might be shown that 1T
would be of infinite benefit to the
State, yet we hold that we have
rights that the Legislature dare not
trample on.
That body can make laws to pro-
tect birds and rabbits, by prevent
ing the cruel sportsman from kill
ing them, but if they undertake to
make a law to deprive us of
"our rights to kill their sons as
we please, by selling to them ardent
spirits, we will not allow it. We
trembled for our rights when we
saw the drift of the Legislature on
this subject, but having such conf
dence in the strategic resources Of
our friends in that body, we felt
that they could turn the tables, and
shuttle the deck, so as to defeat it
in some way
But we confess to a sense Of dis
appointment in the plan taken; it
proved our side capable Of more
than we claimed for them.
Indeed, Mr. Editor, it would
never do for this question to 60 to the
people. They are always incapable
of deciding this question, and if it
ever goes to the ballot-box we are
gone. Gone, eternally gone! But
if they will just make it read thus:
"Be it enacted &c, That the follow
ing Amendment to the Constitu-
ton of West Virginia be referred to
vote of the saloonists of the State,
and such other voters as they may
choose" then our side will agree to
have the Amendment submitted.
But who wants things better
than we now have them? myself
know two young men who are re-
specially related, and who, some
time ago, when there was no IL
cense, had joined church and secur-
ed nice suit of clothes each, but
since we have license we have got
all their money, and this week
their suits are to be sold to pay
their board bill so you see that we
will be instrumental in some ones
getting cheap suit, which proves
that we are good to the poor.
Then whose business is it if a
man does get drunk ? Why only
last week a man got so full that he
mistook his landing, and got off the
steamboat four miles from home,
and wandered up to a salt-furnace,
and standing before the steam pipes,
begged piteously for more whisky,
then lying down in a slough of wa
ter in front of the furnace, lay there
until morning.
Imagine this man pleading at
these pipes for whisky What sa-
loonist with the tenderness we gen
orally possess, would not have sold
it to him, If he had had the money,
and thus comforted the poor, dis
consulate man?
This mate tenderness Of ours is
our stock in trade The present
laws would ruin all of us were it not
for this. The laws forbid us to sell
to man that will get drunk, but
it would be just as we'll to pass a
law forbidding a miller to sell -four
to man that will eat bread, as to
forbid us to sell to a man that will
get drunk. Our hearts are too ten
der to turn away from their appeals
so long as they have any money, or
anything they can pawn to secure
us. But this tenderness is peculiar
to US, always ends with the last
dime the poor fellows have.
Why, [ have known saloonists 50
tender that they would let a man
have whisky, though he pawned
his wife's dress to get it. And yet
these temperance fanatics want to
deprive us of our rights to do all this
tender work among men.
One man has set up the false
claim that it was not he but his
o.xo, 4Lo+ bo &C e. l.