The Labor enquirer., 1884-04-05
Whisky and Usury.

!
Editor Labor Enquirer.
DENVER, March 29.-They are the twin
curses of the world. Add to that gamb.
ling, the standing military armies of the
world, which bring in their eomet-like
train of standing armies of office holders
and the woe of. the world is described.
Men are only dull animals, who follow
blindEy the impulses of their .benighted
and wronged nature Once. men by
millions followed the fanatic cry of "To
Jerusalem" and went by millions into
| the crusades and to death, without a
sensible object. Idealistic fanaticism
| only.
Again, when aroused by the discover
les of Columbus. they blindlY and eagerly
rushed into the finding of new worlds
across the then unknown and mysterious
seas Cortes, Pizarro, Bilboa and others,
were followed blindIy by thousands in
the eager search for gold. 1t became a
m ania, repeating Itself from time to time.
In the days of Napoleon, as it had been
in those of Cyrus, Nerxes, Alexander,
Hannibal, Scipio, and Cesar, conquest
had become the rage and mania of the
blind masses, Religious fanatacism,
during the century of Huss, Calvin and
Luther became the all-absorbing topic
of thought and action. To day S century
is chained in terrible manacles by the
all-conquering desire for riches, and the
qualification of power, accumulation and
luxurious ease.
This city, per example, is great
whisky shop, great, pawnshop and
general gambling dem. Who dares deny
1t? How many thousands aye millions,
are hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and
yearly wasted in whisky? Figure up
and stand appalled, with the result!
Does it help your health by drinking il?
Does it improve your mind and ability
to think, calculate and produce? Does
it stimulate your better nature? No. 1t
debases you and yours. Drop it like a
hot iron, it burns, it scorches, it destroys,
it mains and kills Workingmen,
whisky is deadly enemy to your pros
perity and happiness. 1t is agreat leyer,
with which the rich and non-producing
class handle your destinies. Drop it and
free yourself from its terrible chains
Take drink my friend?" the political
trickster and candidate smilngly whis-
pers into your ear. Oh now pleasant,
how friendly and yet how accursed, how
false. Your vote for drink, and you
slave of the corrupt creature who offers
the poison? Whisky is handling the
political destinies of our republic to day.
1t is one of the heavy links in the
chains of your slavery, workmen. Drop
it. Drop it. You do not want it, you do
not need it, you ought to hate it.
| am no temperance advocate. No
prohibition for me, it infringes upon the
personal liberty Of mankind, it is not
right nor just, but at the same time it
were better if never drop" was seen
upon earth of the liquid fire, which is
one of the most relentless enemies you
have. &C..
"Well, let us take drink" is the re-
frain of almost every business transact
ion. You little think at the time you
have borrowed money at 10 or 3, aye,
even 5 or 10 per cent per month, that the
"Take drink" from the loaner, is moth
ing but an expression of satisfaction
uttered by the bloodsucking hyena, who
is holding you in his claws more fierce,
more certain, more closely than the
cutie fish is its dying victim.
Now workmen, help temperance and
You help yourselves. You are taking a
step forward toward your own interest
and salvation. You are beginning to
stop up the slow bleeding to death, from