New-York tribune., 1884-03-24
" PROTECTION AND RESPECT" FOR RUM
SELLING

SELLING.
A few DAYS ago an organization of liquor deal
ers in this State formulated resolutions in which
they declared that the business III which they
are engaged is Legitimate" and entitled TO
the protection and respect" Of the community.
Long habit doubtless blunts perception. The
soap boiler cannot smell the stencil which per-
vades his own works. The dealer III hides
comes to think his wares sweet and inOfenslye (;
and so 1t possible that those whose business 1t
Is to sell poison to the public, and who witness
hourly the disastrous effects of their trade, may
think it is deserving of respect. But the public
can make no such mistake. A trade which
hOurishes upon the ruin OF its supporters
which derives its revenues from the plunder Of
homes and from the defraudng Of helpless
childhood, from the degra datiOn of manhood !;
which requires for its prosperity the injury
of the community, which ministers to every
vile and vicious passion and propensity; which
makes dIunkards, and thieves, and embezzlers,
and gamblers, and wife e-beaters, and murderers; !;
which brutalizes and degrades all who are
brought III contact with it-cannOt claim the re-
spect, and assuredly ought not to be able to
claim the encouragement, of the community.
1t indeed indicates the extent of the prevalent
decentralization that business so inherently in
famous, so unquestionably against public
policy, should have been permitted to
establish itself 80 firmly that those
who pursue it are convinced, not only
that it is legitimate, but that it is 'entitled
to protection and respect" But upon what
ground do these bold claims rest9 What con-
stitutes legitimate, respectable BUSINESS Is
a business which debauches, impOyeriShes, in
jures the public either the one or the other'
When such questions havetO be asked it is time
that they were settled defnitivey. At present
rum-selling Is technically legitimate. That Is
TO say, 1t is not unlawful. But since its cOnse-
quences are what we SOC, 1t would be IN abuse
of language to term it respectable.
But it does not stop at these insolent preten
sions Ittells the people that it has great political
power; that lis organized; and that it will fight
reform and temperance with the votes of the
unfortunates 1t has ombruted. This then is
what the community has to face. 1t must either
submit to the political supremacy of the Ium-
sellers; it must either accept their governments
it must either bow to their standard of morals
and declare them TO be entitled to protection
and respect y; or it must make up its mind to a
conflict the aim and end of which shall be the
overthrow of this abOminable abuse, and the
protection of the masses against the worst foe
of civilization.
They will oppose any reform whatever
They deny the right of the people to pro-
tect themselves at all. They claim the right
for themselves to poison and brutalize and
degrade all whom they can reach. They
think they will be supported in this by the
public they fleece and injure, and upon the
persistence of whose animal appotites they
coarsely calculate. Hitherto they have un-
happily been justified in this dependence.
The men who had most cause to lOathe
the business have been among the first to
uphold and fortify it. But a change
is even now passing over public opinion. 1t is
becoming more and more generally recognized
that intemperance Is at the bottom of two
thirds of the social, political and moral evils
that retard progress and perplex aud harass the
legislator. 1t is being cOmprehended that
an effective and safe franchise requires sobriety
and intelligence In the voter. In fact it is being
realized that the future of the country depends
largely upon mastering the elements which
have their origin and derive all their strength
from Rum, aud which initiate at every turn
against good government, pure social condi-
tions, religion and progress.