San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-07-03
DIR. Erhard ON Intemperance, etc.

from our friend "the sage OF Bastrop.
While it will not buit either side o
the question in some respects, it vii
be found to contain many good ideas
we'll worthy Of general consideration
AS regards the writer's suggestion To
use beer and wine freely, his presump
ton OF their harmlessness will not do
in view of the well known fact tina
they are neafiyalways in this coun
try adulterated with elements dele
terious to sobriety and health. 81
HE grand panecea for intemperance
clearly falls to the ground.-ED
FREE Press.
EDITOR FREE PREss:-I see you are
and have been always very much in
favor of q "Local Option Law" Now
my friend, it is impossible to STOP
drinking, gambling or prostitution,
by any law that can be devised.
But allow me to make o sugges
tion-abolish all bar-rooms. The
State gives them license to deal out
venom, by paying an exorbitant
price. Our Legislatures probably
think, this license brings in a large
revenue TO the State-a total mis-
take. / think the State pays out per
haps as much money in prosecuting
crime and Furnishing the offenders in
prison, as the whole amount OF
bar-room license brings revenue.
All the murders and rows nearly,
originate in bar-rooms the strumpet
with her paramour goes to patronize
the bar of an i'll fame house.
It will be totally impossible to
stop people from taking stimulants.
Every nation has it's own favorite
stimulant. Now of all the stimulants
opium and morphine are the most
terrible; that habit once acquired is
almost impossible to get clear Oft
is easier to quit any habit of taking
liquid stimulants than to quit NOR
phine or opium eating.
You have no idea what quantities
of these two baneful articles are used
in the United States, not for medical
purposes, but for stimulant; while
these two q might say deadly poisons)
do not make person stagger like an
excess of whiskey OF any alcoholic
drink. yet tire effect is ten fold more
baneful.
I would suggest, as no temperance
VOW, or law, can stop taking stimuli
ants, to pass law to stop all bar,
rooms, and not to license such
institutions. Allow liquor dealers to
sell by the quart, but under heavy
penalty to punish them if they allow
the liquor to be drank in their store
or near their establishment, nor allow
them to give it away free.
Next, to allow the use of beer and
wine without any taxation; the first
contains SO little alcohol that it would
take large quantity to make one
drunk; if one is found drunk you
may be sure he also took whiskey Of
terwards.
Wine is this country is too expen-
sive for most people to indulge in
sufficient to get drunk.
Now I will assert that these
extreme temperance people are
Incorporate in their demands. Why
even coffee and tea are injurious if
taken in excess.
But allow me to draw your atten-
ton to another article so frequently
used-tobacco. All know that the
fumes of tobacco smoke are repulsive
to ladies and non smoking men, but
few know that the smoking of tobacco
by youths is very injurious to their
health, that it well stunt their growth,
perhaps injure their lungs, or induce
in time asthma or bronchites. Why,
nicotine is a deadly poison; a small
quantity will kill poisonous snake.
All smokers know that the first effort
at smoking made them giddy and
sick at the stomach.
The gambling houses ought to be
heavily taxed according to the popula-
ton of village town or city, and be
compelled to keep open doors like a
business house. Now you may ask
wherefore? 1 say the merchant,
banker or any business man could
enter then and see if any of his
employees gamble, and 1 am sure
such men would be discharged. Also
there ought to be policeman about
the premises and detectives might
also keep watch over them. For
my part 1 can not see why any per
son can be so foolish as to gamble with
professional gamblers who make it a
study to play sharp tricks, yea, often
cheat and swindle. G. ERHARD.
The State press has issued the
edict that the pistol must go; but