The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-24
NentpsrdnCP.
The Home vs.. The Saloon.

The home against the saloon-that is
the issue, and we are glad to see it dis
tinctly made at last. For many long
years there has been conflict between
these two forces. They are radically in
compatible, and neither law, nor politics,
no theology, nor any other thing, ever did
or ever can make them harmonize. The
success of the one is the destruction of the
other. The protection of either requires
the sacrifice of the other. How TO pre-
serve both is problem which no state
has ever been able to solve. Not for any
lack OF effort, however, as the legislation
OF the last fifty years bears abundant
witness. Was ever any principle more
juggled with How not to do it has
seemed to be the chief design of all par
ties. Not but that there have always
been sincere and worthy champions of the
home as against the saloon, but they have
been at the mercy of wire.pulling cliques
who were interested in the traffic, and the
chink of whose money has smothered the
cry of the distressed, and Knocked at the
tears of the homeless.
The home versus the saloon The sen.
timents and the arguments which repre-
sent these two forces are at last crystal
lied and concerted into something very
definite and plain. There is no longer
any doubt that he who is not for us is
against us. He who pays his devotions
at the bar of the saloon cannot come
with clean hands to the altar at home.
There is no sffiuity between the two. He
must love the one and hate the other-he
cannot longer pretend to serve two mas.
man must choose this day whom he will
serve. Every man of lawful age and not
an idiot or criminal, will be called upon
to deposit his ballot for the home or for
the saloon, as may seem to him best.
But there is large and somewhat re-
spectacle non,voting class, who are mel.
Their minors, idiots, nor criminals. They
are per sons of mature age, average intelli-
gence, and fair morals. And they have
an interest--smal, perbaps-but it may
be worth mentioning in this canvass. In.
deed, it is said to be chiefly on their
account that the canvass is undertaken,
for "What is home without mother p"
as the poet says. So you see the canvass
is practical-the poetry to be furnished
by those who do not furnish the ballots.
And is there not enough of it for one cam
paign at least Who can utter it For
many years the very air of heaven has
been laden with it. The clouds have been
thick and heavy with the tears of it.
Winds have been solemn and mournful
with the voice of it. The sod Of hill and
valley has been wstered with it. The re-
QUEEN OF the grave has been mingled with
it, and the ear of the Eternal has listened
to it. The ears of men seem at last to
catch its import, and the conscience of
man has long been invoked in vain, but
now that the giant has reused himself
and sounded the trumpet of battle, we
shall see what we shall see. Had it been
constitutional for the home itself to vote,
the controversy might have been settled
long ago. The saloon has voted early and
late-the home never. We now see the
saloon ranged on one side, aud the self
constituted protectors of the home on
the other. There ought to be only one
issue possible. Every civilized state is
founded on the home. 1t does seem as if
a civilized state might exist without the
saloon. The stronger and purer the home,
the stronger and purer the state. To
eliminate the saloon from the state is to
strengthen and purify the home. May
the God of battles give courage and wis
dom to its defenders.-CAristian at Work.