Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-27
STRONG DRINK AND eur AMERICAN INST
TUTl0NS.
By PARDEE BUTLER.

The recent death, in Atchison, by
lockiaw, of Hank Burgess. resulting
from huyt of his finger, has brought
to light an appalling spectacle of pow
erty, want, rags. dirt and filth; of
hearts rendered brutal and insensible to
all the higher instincts of civilized hu-
man beings; and of a husband cursing
his wife, the wife cursing her children,
aad the children eursing their zsether
in .epithets TOO vile TO be II lss q IA
the pages of a decent news paper. Yet
this man was. a capable aud faithful day
laborer, and regularly earned, in work
cor White & Washer, SO per week, to
which was added q pension Of IS per
month
Forty dollars per month to support
healthy family of five persons, and yet
such utter destitution and poverty. IT
WAS DRIn k THAT DID IT!
But l shall be asked, ''Wherein does
this concern you!" Chiefly in this,
that am az American citizen, and
have some stake in the integrity and
perpetuity of our American institutions.
The vote of Hank Burgess would weigh
as much, when cast into the ballot box,
as the vote OF the wisest and best
man in Atchison. When a majority
of our population are gone down TO
the level of this family, then our Amer
lean Institutions must perish. Men
working for wages must, to the end of
the chapter, be the majority; and as a
consequence, the government is now,
and must continue to he, under their
control. 1t is Their fore necessary TO
the safety of the Nation that they shall
be well fed, well clothed, anu well
housed; that they shall read the news
papers; that their children shall go to
school, and that they shall have that
feeling of,seif-respect that comes of con
scious comfort and growing independ-
ence. Joseph Medill has testified be-
fore a Congressional investigating
committee, that the liquor bill of that
class of CUR population that work for
wages, would, in series OF years, buy
he dwellings, Oh which they are now
paying rent.
The dram shops are the greatest
curse of the American people. They
have done more damage to Kansas
than all the drouths, grasshoppers,
chinch bugs and border ruffians we
have ever had. They demoralize the
people, eat out their substance, take
their money, and return nothing bat
evil, aud only evil and that constantly
They are brutal aristocracy, an AFRO
CANT caste, wholly absorbed and bound
in Their own interests, which are at war
with every other interest in the Nation.
They are neither Republicans nor
Democrats, but are ready to vote this
way or that way, just as The interests OF
their craft may require. They aspire
to a universal control of the Govern
ment, from debating terms to Congress
down 10 playing the despot over both
political parties in Atchisoh county
Yet their rule means universal ruin. Il
the Greenback craze should possess the
whole people, something of good would
still be lett. Iftue Democracy should
triumph, as it may triumph, at the mex
Presidential election, virtue and patri
otism would still remain in the heal IS o
the people. bat if he dram-shops pre-
vail, there is nothing LEFT, only that thi.
/ whole Nation shall oecone uniFersa
SodOm.