The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-06-07
lNO.3O.

Union is agitated in favor of this
Twenty.eight State Leg
islatures had the question OF liquor
prominently before them
last year. 'sBorward' is the WORD all
along the line. Some of our States
prohibit the sale Of liquor near any
school house, aud all of them ought
to do so. With the exception of two
years break, Maine has had fair
chance to test prohibition during
long period of twenty-five years.
There is not 9 political party in the
State which dares take sides against
it. According to the very best an-
thorities, official reports and state
ments made at various times in
speeches or in writing by the Gov
ernor, the Attorney General, the Su-
pervisor of internal Revenue and
others, the Law has been OF immeas-
urable benefit to the State. Every
distillery and brewery in the State
has been destroyed. In large sec
tons OF counties the traffic is wholly
unknown. It is reported BY the high
authorities quoted above :. that the
amount of liquor sold is less than
one-tenth of. what it was during the
time of the license law, sand the beer
trade is only one per cent of what it
was. They also report that in all
portions of the State the law is vig-
orously enforced; that while in some
places liquor is sold secretly, as other
crimes are committed, yet the open
saloon, with its subtle but powerful
Influences aud temptations, is no
where 70, be seen; that the more re-
spectacle and lRw-abiding do not
uphold the crime against the law and
the good order Of society by patron
izing the trade. and, having that ele-
ment against it, II. is losing its hold
on former friends.
In the city Of Portland there were
between three and four hundred rum
shops, and Immediately after the en-
actment OF the law not one. The
wholesale trade in liquor was ut once
annihilated. Large numbers of men
were reformed. Outside Of two or
three cities there is not an open dram
shop intbes State. and these are net
destroyed simply because the officials
neglect their sworn duty. The
United States revenue reporter for
Maine shows that only four cents per
|inhabitant was collected on liquors in
that State. whereas the same report
shows that one dollar and forty cents
per inhabitant was collected for the
other States. Prohibition prohibits
in Maine.
Kansas has only recently adopted
the prohibitory law, yet Gov. st. John
says that in sixty-iive out of eighty
towns in the State this law is enforced
as well rs any other criminal law On
1.-THE statute book. Half the dram
shops Of the State have been closed.
One thousand out Of the two thon-
sand existing one year ago have ceas-
ed to exist Every distillery has
been closed, and more than half the
| brewsries, and the other half are be-
| ing prosecuted. The State has in
creased in taxable wealth over thirty
million dollars under prohibition,
school houses and churches are being
established all over the State, and
every material industry is being adj
vanced. More than all that, there ia
| an increasing peace and rest, pros
perity and happiness, to thousands
Of homes. ds e.as a
As TO prohibition by parishes. that
seems TO be the only practicable way
for us. Let DE create and nurse
IL healthy temperance sentiment
throughout the country. at large
Let temperance societies I've organized
Everywhere. Let the churches put
down dram drinking and put ouI
those members who persist in il. Lee
boys and young men be kept as fal
as possible from temptations to drink
Let the fathers set the example j
they will, and Il not, let them at leas
teach by precept, and do or say moth
| ing calculated to I'LL the young mind
lof their children with false ideas ant
| Estimates Of the total abstinence
| theory-thel only possible safe doc
trine, the only proper treatment o
the liquor question. Let US rise +
1.-THE height of this great question
Let not q life time custom bold us il
Tits iron grip. The enemy is in on
midst engaged in his work OF dealt
and devastation. ee
To yon who sell liquor this appea
comes first Brother, join hand
with as in crushing it out. We as
sure you yop shall not starve. Thi
lereat country needs 70 be developed
There iss money in it for the indus
trions in every right calling.
Toyou who drink the appeal comes
i - - L. l. Il.