The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-07-09
4 Terrible Picture.

The following is (0I. Robert Il. In
sersnlfs arr:lignmcnt Of alcohol;
81 am aware that there is a prejudice
against any man engaged in the liquor
business. | believe from the time it
issues from the .oiled and poisonous
worm in the distillery, until II empties
into the hell Of death, dishonor and
crime, that alcohol is demoralizing to
everybody that touches it, from it's
source to where it ends do not be.
lieve anybody can contemplate the sub
ject without being prejudiced against the
crime All we have 10 do is to think of
the wrecks on either side Of the stream
OF death. of the suicides, of the insanity,
Of the poverty, pauperism and destruc-
ton coming from alcohol; of the little
children tugging at the breasts Of weep
ing, despairng starving mothers begging
for bread, of the men of genius that it
has wrecked, Of the men struggling
with imaginary serpents produced by
this devilish thing; and when we think
of the jails and almshouses, Of the asy-
lums, of the prisons and the scafolds on
either bank. do not wonder that every
thoughtful man is prejudieed against
this vile stuff called alchol.
Intemperance cuts down youth in its
vigor, manhood in its strength, and age
in it's weakness 1t breaks the fathers
heart, bereavcs the doting mother, ex-
tinguislIes natural affection, destroys
conjueal love, blots out filial attachments.
blight paternal hope and brings prema-
turc age in sorrow to the grave. 1t pro-
duces weakness, not strength; sickness,
not nealth; death, not life. 1t makes
wives widows, children orphans, fathers
fends and all paupers. 1t feeds rl,eu-
matisln, nurses gOut, welcomes epiden-
les, invites cholera, imports pestilence,
engenders consumption and covers the
land with misery, idleness and crime.
1t produces controversies. fosters quar-
rels, cherishes rios. 1t crowds our peni-
tentiaries and furnishes victims for the
scaffold.
"Alcohol is the blood of the gambler.
the inspiration of the burglar, the
stimulus of the highwayman, and the
support of the midnight incendiary 1t
suggests the lie and countenances the
liar, condones the thief, esteems the
blasphemer. 1t violates obligations,
reverences frauds, turns love to hate,
scorns virtue and innocence. 1t incites
the father to butchering his helpless off
spring, and the child to sharpening the
parricidal axe.
"Alcohol burns mp men, consumes
women, DESTROYS life. curses God and de-
splses heaven. 1t suborns witnesses,
nurses perfidy, defiles the jury box
stains the judicial ermine II bribes
voters, disqualifies votes, '"rrlpts elec-
tions, pollutes our institutions and en-
dangers the government. 1t dcgra les
the citizen, debases the legislator. dis
honors the statesman and disarins the
patriot. 1t brings shame. not honor; ter
ror. not safety; despair. not hope; mis-
erv not happiness; and with the male
violence. Of a tiend calmly surveys it's
frghtful drsnlation, and revelling in
havoc il poisons felicity, DESTROYS peace,
ruins morals, wipes ont national honor,
curses the world and la,,ghes at the ruin
it has wrought It does that and more
it murders the soul 1t is the sum Of all
the father Of all crimes, the
mother Of all denominations. the devils
best friend and Gods worst enemy"
And, behold! we license it!