West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-01-11
Who Will Oppose Prohibition!

ED. FREEMAN: Not the poor inc
briates. They sign the petitions
eagerly. They feel the bitterness
of their bondage, and feel that with
their present associations and sur
roundings they are utterly unable
to break their CALLING chains. But
pass the prohibition Act, and the
temptation being removed, they can
be men again, and their degraded
families can be restored to comfort
and responsibility.
Not the merchant. For he knows
that a large percentage of all his
losses are occasioned by strong
drink. The whisky lover will pay
the bar-keeper and let his other
bills remain unpaid, while he can
get credit, and when this fails he
will still give the bar-keeper his
money, and let his family suffer
Not the wise manufacturer or far
mer They know that our high
taxes are caused by the expense of
taking care of criminals, paupers
and lunatics, who were made 80 by
incompetence. They know, also,
that with prohibition they can have
a better class of workmen, fewer
tramps, and fewer incendiary fires.
Not true christians. Christ has
sent them to be the salt of the earth.
and the light Of the world. Ifthey
promote intemperance, they become
the children of darkness and corrup-
ton.
Who will oppose prohibition?
LIST. The makers and vendors of
alcoholic drinks. They have found
a money-making business. They
love the lucre it brings. 1t enables
them to dress their wives and chill
dren in gorgeous apparel-to have
their persons adorned with gold and
jewels, and to have every indul-
gence which money can purchase
What care they, if this money is
taken from men whose children
are deprived of church privileges
because they have no decent clothes,
and cannot 60 to school because
they have no books. The hard
hearted, close listed bar keeper cares
nothing for all this. He has sold
himself to the Devil for money, and
he will do his work.
I'd. The rectifers of whisky.
Those who take one barrel of whisky
and add two barrels of water, and
poisonous drugs sufficient to give it
the appearance and taste of whisky
and thus make an enormous profit.
Nearly all the whisky that is made,
goes directly from the still-house to
the rectifier. The poisons which
he puts in, causes the drinkers to
have rheumatism, neuralgia, and
diseases too numerous to mention.
Even when used as medicine to ex-
tract the virtues of roots and herbs,
the poisons in the whisky does ten
times the harm that the roots do
good.
This rectifying business is carried
on so extensively that is is very diff
fcult to get any other kind.
Sd. The country pettifogger and
the Observation-Disclosures will
oppose it. These have paucity of
clients, and they know that nearly
all the fights, and petty lawsuits
are caused by intemperance, and in
the multitude of Obligation they may
have something to do. These may
all be expected to cry out, for about
the space of two hours, Great is
Diana of the Ephesians."
4th. Satan will oppose it. He is
the enemy of all good. He delights
in suffering and misery, TO de-
grade the human race to the ut
most is his study, night and day.
Therefore he will oppose prohibi-
ton with all his heart, soul, mind
and strength.
It remains now, for US to see how
many of the Solons of our Legisla-
ture will arrange themselves on the
side of HIS Satanic Majesty, and vote
to deprive the people of the privi-
lege of expressing their sentiment
at the polls, on this important sub