The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-23
The Temperance Cause.
MRS, d. TASKER.
RELILM.

MRS, d. TASkER.
So much has been said and written
on the subject of temperance, that it
| doubtless s ems stale topic to many (;
yet subject fraught with such deep
interest, bearing so closely upon the
health, morals, happiness and we'll
being Of the people, should always lie
very near the heart of every true man
and woman.
l have travelled North, South, East
and West, and seen this deadly SER
pent trailing its slow length along,
until my whole soul shuddered and
cried out "who is sufficient for these
things?" Some persons are ever
ready to cry out "fanaticism" on all
occasions, and because none of their
household are bound by the ties Of
the demon drink, they stand idly by.
with folded hands. and take no de-
cided stand in the matter.
Ali! they could but hear the
mighty cry that goes up to an aveng-
ing God from the broken hearted
wives and the starving children of
our land, could they but see the sights
that others have seen, and hear the
sounds others have heard, they would
start with horror and shame and go
zeaously to work, either by word,
pen or example, in the temperance
field. The rich and Door, the bright
est minds and the unlearned, none
are exempt from this fatal poison.
All law-abiding, peace-loving citi-
zeus will work and pray for the sue
cess of Prohibition and Local Option
Laws, for our eyes must be open to
the terrible evil flooding our land,
filling our jails with criminals, our
poorhouses with paupers and the gal
lows with murderers.
Some defend the liquor traffic on
the ground of the revenue it brings
the government. False reasoning !;
for it has been clearly demonstrated
that the expenses arising from int0xi-
eating drinks (pauperism and crime
being its outgrowth) far counterbal-
ance the revenue derived yet even
if the balance were in favor of the
liquor traffic, shall country thrive
and be nourished by the tears and
hearts blood of crushed woman,
starving little ones, sorrow bowed
parents and lost souls? What kind
of a harvest can land expect to reap
from such soil? 1t is said that
"history is the prosecuting attorney
of the commonwealth of mankind.
against the liquor traffic! Ruined
homes, widows, orphans. crowded
jails, insane asylums, almshouses.
The only defence was, il furnished
part of the. money to support these
institutions for the privilege of filling
Men."
Ii has teen asked, "does PrOhibi-
ton prohibit ?" 1t is a standing fact
that the states which have no pro
hibitory law, grOan under the curse
of whiSkey far more than those states
which have that law. Corrupt poll
ticians often use their money and in
fluence to set aside prOhibitory laws,
instead of enforcing them. 1t strikes
one with amazement that in our free
land the majority should allow the
minority to possess such sway in the
whiskey traffic to build its saloons
in every district to draw in the often
hard earned wages of its population,
and to send forth its denizens to reel
about its streets.
Shall our husbands, sons, fathers
and brothers be subj ected to such evil
demoralizing influences? No, thous-
and times no Woman are the great.
estsufferers Through their loved ones)
from this evil then they should do
all in their power to discourage the
evil let them not touch, taste, nor
handle this poison in any form, but
endeav0r to encourage its victims to
break off their letters and be free
men.
Western Maryland Republicans ap.
preciate good man when they gel
him in Office, and we are not sur.
prised that there is no opposition tC
the denomination of Hon. Louis E.
! McComas.-BGlto. American.