West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-08-29
Ohio Letter.
Scott Law at String Torn, &C., &c.

ED. FREEMAN The sages who
thought that the only end gained
by submitting the Second Amend
ment was the opportunity for the
Prohibitionist to stand out and be
counted, are beginning to see that
the counting will be no small mat
ter. Temperance men now have the
privilege of voting and working
for their cause without directly an
tagonizing the candidate of either
party, and they seem disposed to
improve the opportunity. The
prohibition sentiment has gained
such Roadway, that the political
press can no longer ignore it.
A correspondent Of the Cincinna-
ii Enquirer says that the Second
Amendment Party" is much better
organized throughout the State
than either the Democratic or Re
publican.
The great draw back in the work
is the difficulty of reaching the
masses of the voters with temper
ance literature. The political pa
pers which are willing to open
their columns to a fair discussion
of the subject, pro and con, are few
and far between.
We do not like to charge the
press as a body with being subsi-
died by the liquor traffic, but we
will say that it shows a moral cow
ardice in dealing with the subject
that is hard to account for. If the
press would do its duty by allowing
a full and free discussion ofthe mat
ter, the result would be an over
whelming victory for the Amend
ment, but as the political press is
practically closed to US, we are
obliged to work through other
channels. General apathy is far
more to be feared than the opposi-
ton of whisky men, and this can
be overcome only by active ard
ceaseless work at the polls. II tenn
perance men do their duty, no man
in the State of Ohio will be permit
ted to deposit his ballot without
being solicited to vote for the
Second Amendment"
Not long since we saw young
man who claimed to be an anti
Prohibition Temperance editor.
He was making a straight shoot
for his office, his back towards a sa-
loon and a keg on his shoulder
We cannot swear that there was
beer in the keg, for we don't know
just how long it had been in his
possession. Anti-Prohibition tenn
perance principles will not allow a
man to carry beer on his shoulder
for any great length of time
We had occasion a short time
time ago to pass the whisky den
known as Stringtown, opposite the
town of Sistersville. 1t may seem
incredible, but it is no less fact
that six families, occupying five
houses, keep four saloons.
These six families constitute the
famous "Stringtown," known al
most from one end of the Ohio to
the other, and known for what ?
If you want an answer, go to the
old men who have known the
place from boyhood, and learn of
the men who have been dragged
from the river and laid away in
drunkards' graves; of those who
have passed from this world to the
next in fit of delirium tremens
of those who have given up crops,
horses, cattle, farm, everything, to
satisfy the craving for drink oil
the lady who has gone to her own
father and plead in vain for him to
refuse liquor to her brother and
sons; of the young men of good
families who have been enticed tc
ruin, and of the girls who have
been dragged from the paths Of
virtue to a life of sin. No wonder
the town is well known.
Some years since ,oomam went
from Stringtown to Church not
far distant and sold whisky outside
the door, until such an uproar was
created that the meeting was brok.
en- up. Stringtown is one of the
"small country places" where the
Scott law was to wipe the traffic
out of existence. The four saloons
paid the tax promptly, when il