River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-06-14
THAT PROMISED BREEZE. y

EDITOR JoUhNAL:-He who shoots at long
range, stands a fair chance to miss his mark,
especially ii the game be small. useless
waste of ammunition, considered from liter
airy standpoint, is hardly allowable if time be
accounted OF any value. Not having been
called upon to expend much in that direc-
ton OF late and almost buried beneath the
lengthy articles OF one whose mind has been
greatly exercised on the question of "Chris-
tian Temperance Ys. Political Temperance
the disposition comes to create "breezep
such a common subject should call forth
such heavy t?l artillery, A good story pre-
sents itself which is to the point. During
the slate unpleasantness" on beautiful
Sunday morning, new field piece OF large
calibre was put in position aud the gunner
looked anxiously around for target to test
its accuracy. Suddenly he deserted the
wooly head of an old and decrepit negro
bobbing up and down in field
close by and training his gun, he
applied the match, when after the smoke
cleared away no head was seen. Proudly he
turned to the commanding officer who had
watched the operation and was met with the
question: ''Pretty well done, but couldn't you
have accomplished your purpose with little
less ammunition" But let us analyze these
articles if we can and see if the arguments
employed will stand the test Of fair and
candid reason with the light of observation
and experience.
LIST The self-constituted leader OF 'Chris-
tan Temperance"(?) has assumed the very
point in question, viz: The right of Prohibit
ton as a Principle, and bases his argument
on the Negative side of the proposition, Ar
gument did say, Mr.. Editor? | humbly beg
your pardon, and trust that the readers OF
the JOURNAL will forgive this statement in
giving to a set of assertions that long since
exploded, and are not to-day excepted by
the reasonably fair minded, the dignifed
name of argument. What can be said of the
eight voluminoua articles that now engage
our attention? Simply TRADE OF abuse
against the ministry and temperance reform
ers. To offset this there comes the oft re-
peated 81" as a criterian to be used in the
bringing up of all children. Poor "Prohibi-
zionist" has to suffer, even at his table, and
comes to US with strong flavor of the In
QUESTION while the ''dark ages" is well rep
resented in that "negro cook" with every
thing under lock and key We admire that
mother, who in tender solicitude for her
hayward boy, said "Joel, hope you will be
careful and take care Of yourself" etc, but
cannot help thinking that had that been
done less time would have been found to
have exerted watchful care over others. |
simply postuIate. even in the face OF these ar
ticles, shat there is not an avenue OF trade,
public or private, not realm OF thought, re-
Iigious or anti-relgious at the present time
that is recognized as important, that does not
admit the right OF Prohibition as Principle.
The only case where they are not willing to
apply it, is in the manufacture and sale of in
toxicating liquors. More than this, not
fragment OF Blackstone do find quoted in
these articles, not disconnected portion OF
scripture, that has been prostituted tor the
purpose of carrying out this idea which he
seeks to advance, but what stands unanswer-
ably on the affirmative side OF this question.
Another implied argument which | find
amongst this huge pile of debris is the APP
parent effects of prohibition That visit
back' was an unfortunate one for that town,
as it must have most iearluly harrassed
their feelings iu contemplating the thought
that because one man went west the town
went to the bad. But really, Mr. Editor, |
have no wish to und uly criticise the position
of Judge Foster The immediate effects Of
- n taI ut1psfinn
regards the selling of liquor. But there is
an effect whose influence is salutary one,
and that is that the prohibition of the liquor
traffic
stBRANDs IT AS A CRIME"