Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-05-26
A Heavy and Weighty Argument.
LMePherson lKan..l press.l

hcl Hclobl Nh"u''l iN'''4
A lady has asked me to write a
lengthy argument in favor OF the
prohibition of the liquor traffic. |
can give her one that is over twelve
miles long, without any stretching.
Here it is:
1t is stated that over 10000 of the
inhabitants of this country yearly
fill drunkards' graves. Now if the
bodies of these unfortunate beings
Were laid side by side, it would be
hard work to pack them so that there
would be 5000 to amilc ; and it would
therefore require twelve miles to take
in the 10000 dead bodies. Hitch up
Il good horse aud it would consume
at least an hours time riding along
side of this horrible string Of dead
humanity. If you should try and
walk the distance, for three hours
you would be passing the slain Of
King Alcohol. If they were placed
lengthways you would be from
sunrise till ten o'clock at night i'll
passing by them What an argument
as far as length is concerned!
1t is not only a lengthy, but also a
heavy argument. Sixty thousand
dead bodies would at least weigh six
million pounds. Surely no one can
find fault with the lightmess of Pro-
hibiton reasoning.
Think of this row Of slaughtered hui
mainly; its ghastly appearance. The
majority of bodies barely covered
with raiment, and the flesh bruised
and discolored by what had caused
1.-THE candle of life to 90 out"
hate to write about it. The very
thought makes me SILVER. Yet | am
asked for arguments, and | give one
that is over twelve miles in length
and weighs over six million pounds.
Who composed this pile of decom-
posed bodies? They came from eve
~ grade of society. TO make this
road-bed Twelve miles long and av-
erage over five feet wide) the intel
ligcnt as we'll as the illiteratc have
been cut down by the monster Drink
curse.
Let us walk quietly along the hu
man macadamized road, and see
whose bones have been made to pave
it: Young men who once were the
pride of fond mothers; and women
who once were greeted with the kind
est kiss that a father could bestow,
Here an aged topper, whose iron con-
stitution was proof for years against
fhn fllOpa a IA nlF. eta rNnH =
looking corpes that for a few years
walked around asking to be buried ;
and further along female forms that
even yet bear evidence Of vast beauty.
Heads covered with black hair are
numerous and ifthe facts could be
known of the misery the victims have
suffered, it would be wondered that
any of them lived so long.
Rags, filth, grOans and curses have
hell to harden this road. Tears OF
bitttr anguish that have been shed
help to keep down the dust. Nc
electric lights on this avenue ofdeath
it's dark, cold and dismal. The
names OF the dead are not even known
in some cases but on each body i,
stamped 81 NJ" Qegalized murder)
How does it sound? Uarshly, bu'
true. Cover the victims up from The
sight of men, and still the stencil
arises. And every hour adds frcsl
bodies to the already terrible row.
But the Government receives {
certain amount per head and this
Christian land!
Should not this wicked and dis.
graceful traffic in bodies and souls be
prohibited Town after town says
"Now Men claiming to be brave
and good declare that the time fol-
putting a stop to having miles of hu
mainly yearly slain has not yet ar
rived.
Count me out of that class. don
pretend to be very good but the wa!
| view it, it does not take a man OF
woman with an angelic heart to cal
a halt on such an inhuman traffic.
African slavery was awful but the
loss of life and misery caused by TIT
manufacture and sale of intOXicant'
takes the prize for incarnate devilish.
ness.
Good men Of every Christian de-
nomination and political party mus
help to put stop to it.
Don't postpone the time for doin4
your whole duty. Last year thu
death-road was over twelve mile
long; and unless immediate action il
taken the year 1885 will have still
longer one. G. r. S.