The Dawson journal. (Dawson, Ga.) 1878-18??, 1883-06-21
PROHIBITION.

u AeIlell VIII De called
upon to pass upon the question as
to whether liquor shall be longer
sold IN this county or not. Il IS =
question fraught with the most
vital interest to every man, woman
and child in this section. Not oniv
will 1t affect the bounds and limits
or our own county and citizenship
but It's influence will reach far be-
yond. The result of the issue in
Terrell will needs exert an influ-
ence upon every similar issue
throughout the state, and it is on
" when we measure it in this
hight that we can properly and ac-
curately estimate the magnitude of
this great question-for great il
ls-the greatest living issue before
the American people of the pres
ent day.
Does it require an argument to
convince any man that the sale
and effect of liquor in this country
IS an evil? At first thought It
would seem not; but. singular
enough, while everybody is will
ing, in a sense, to admit that the
whiskey traffic as an evil there are
very many, indeed, who are ready
to make excuses in behalf of the
evil and still tolerate it as a neces-
sary sequence of our peculiar
methods of society and govern
ment But it is not our purpose
to make war upon any man who
may chance to differ with us in
the treatment Of this subject. We
shall aim only at the good of our
county and people in all we shall
have to say in its discussion. After
all, every man must be left to de-
eide this matter for himself-in
the light of his own consciousness
OF right and wrong. But in order
to do this intelligently it is proper
that he should investigate the
question and endeayor to CLEAN all
the light possible. In consider
ing this question, we would like to
ask first, what are the benefits ac-
cruing from the sale of liquor?
Now, friend, can you think of a
single benefit growing out of the
use of Intoxicating drinks? Stop
and think-be honest with your
self and answer this question can
didly can you think of single
one? Well, you say, yes, whiskey
is sometimes beneficial as an agent
IN sickness-as a medicine; but,
luckily, the same law that provides
that it shall not be sold as bever-
age allows it to be sold as a medi-
cine, and there need be no fear,
then, that you may suffer for the
lack of it as a remedial agent in
sickness. This, then, effectually
disposes Of that objection to pro
hibition. But, doubtless, it will
be said, again, by some, that if
the druggist is allowed to sell it
as medicine, that he will abuse
the privilege, and in a little while
he will be selling it ION the sly"
as a beverage, to all whom he is
willing to trust and who can pay
for it. In answer to this objection
we have this to say: The law pro-
vides that no one shall be allowed
to sell it e,rcept for medicine, and
that, too, only upon the certificate
Of a regular practicjng physician in
good sfandine. But it mays still,
be said, that if a man wants whis-
key and is willing to pay for it that
he will have no difficulty in obtain
ing a certificate from physician
that he can get as many certif-
Gates as he wants-a bushel Of
them if necessary, If the above
be true, then, the objection is I'm
answerable. But we must be al
lowed toprotest against this whole
sale reflection upon the integrity
and honesty Of our physicians.
We believe that, as a rule, physi-
clans are as honest as any other
class of men, and while the law
will doubtless be abused in some
instances, yet, it does not furnish
an objection sufficient to overcome
the good that will be derived from
closing up the bar rooms,
An unanswerable argument
however, in facor Of prohibition is
this; SO far as we have been able
to learn, in every single instance
where prohibition has been tried,
it is giving the bestof satisfaction;
and while there are some in Terrell
at this time who are opposed to it,
we have no doubt that in twelve
months from the date of its adop-
ton by the people they will be en-
tirely reconciied to its operations.
1t is needless for us to consume
the time of our readers by enum-
Grating the evils Of liquor, for
these are patent and public to ey-
cry observer, and he needs no ar
gument to convince him. All,
then, are convinced that liquor is
a gigantic evil in the land, and,
thus convinced, it only remains
for them to determine whether it
shall be sold or prohibited. This
article is by no means exhaustive
of the subject in hand, but our
space forbids any further discus
sion of it in the present number.