The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-04
IS DRTNKtRD MAKING 4 LIE
GiIT.NATE BU,SINESSe

considered the same rs other occupa-
tons. 1t insists that its business is
legitimate, the same as selling dry goods,
groceries, hardware or boots and shoes.
and that it is entitled TO immunity from
legal interference the same as any other
| business.
Dealing in liquor is not legitimate
business at all. Every drop Of liquor
sold and drank intlcts permanent in
jury upon The man WHO sells il, the man
WHO drinks ii, ana the community at
,arBc iiiQUor makes criminals pau
pets. insane people. 8uA imbcniies II
desuoS5 tue present generation and
those to come. No man can drink the
stun without fixing upon himself an
appetite that is irresistible, and which
he cannot control. The unfortunate
who finds himself in the grasp Of this
appetite is no longer master of himself,
and his future is war upon his family
and society. He is TO all intents and
purposes an irresponsible maniac, who
is always burden and curse to society
The men who arc responsible for the
drunkards are the men who have a
money interest in making drunkards.
1t was somewhat different thirty wears
ago, but to-day drunkard making is a
regular, systematized business. The
enormous and certain profits upon beer
and whisky led to the establishment Of
enormous brewerieS and perfect system
Of conducting them. They must have
business to make profits, and they go
about getting it as systematically as a
merchant sells other goods. Men do
not now start beer shops with their own
money. The brewers of Cincinnati,
| Toledo, Milwaukee, and Rochester, the
great brewing points in the country,
use their millions, first in making beer,
and second in establishing places in
which to sell it. The brewers rent the
premises, they supply the fixtures, they
furnish the stock and find the man to
run the concern, the stipulation being
that an agreed number of kegs Of his
swash are TO be sold each day. The
poor degraded tool who runs the shop
cannot sit down and wait for customers
to come in. He goes out to find them,
and he does find them, for his continu-
ance in business depends upon it. He
makes ii a business to entice men into
! his place, and he does not stop with
men. The money Of boy is just as
! good TO him, and he makes boys his
especial prey, because they are more
easily captured than men. In every
city Of amy size there are hundreds upon
! hundreds of these dens that cater
especially to boys. teaching them not
only the beer habit. but showing them
the way to the pawn-brokers, where
/ goods stolen from fathers and mothers
may be converted into money to pay their
bills. This debauching of boys is just
/ as much part of the business as selling
! beer To workingmen. 1t is all a part OF
the horrible trade.
The claim that the law shall not take
cognizancc Of this Wholesale dcbauch
ing Of the youth of the country is tot
absurd to be worth notice. The safety
of every family in the land is ut stake
There is not home, IN city or country
that is not threatened. There is not a
child in lis mothers arms to-day that
( has not tlis pjtfali before il
The curse has been forced by The
( brewers everywhere. There is not &
corner in the country that the brewer;
+, hayenot invaded not place where tn e,
have not set their traps and baited
them. They deliberately set abou,
making the fair haired boy Of to-day thu
blear.eyed ruflan OF two years hence
1t is their business 10 convert the Sim
day-school scholar of to-day into TIL.
ruflianly hOodlum of five years hence
and, later, the hOodlum into the Jail
bird. 1t is their business to debaucl
humanity, and they do not wait fol
material to work upon to come to them
but they go out and seek it. The busi-
ness has progressed from mere passive
nuisance to bold and aggressive evil.
There is not father or mother in thu
land who has not right to demand thu
extirpation of this monster evil thai
threat ems the very existence Of thei
homes. They have a right to "a,
whether ''business" shall exist, tn,
chief profit in which is the ruin Of hus
bands and fathers, and the debauchinl
of children. The power Of law does
not commence with the commission o.
crime; it goes back of that. 1t has power
to dry up the source of crime. Com
munities have the right not only I,
punish the criminal but the right tC
prevent criminality.
1t is upon this right thai Prohibition
lists base their action. Communities
have the right TO protect themselve
against the rum seller the same as they
have against mad-dogs. Nobody wait
till mad-dog has bitten person
everybody knows that the mad-dog vii
bite, and the point is to kill him befor'
he bites. Everybody knows that tint
establishment Of one beershop is more
dangerous To community than score
OF mad-dogs. and Prohibitionists intent
TO kill them out before they do thu
damage they are certain to do.
The Beer shops must be suppressed
There Is one way only to do it, and tina
way is the prohibition of the manufac
ture and sale Of tho stuff in any form
This will be done. and To do it only le
quires unity Of action among men an
women of all shades Of opinion who ar
in earnest i'm their desire TO
I'u,rerize the Rum Potcer.
/ Good Arrangement.
1 French Paperl
Smith sent for celebrated oculist to par
form an operation for cataracs.
all >lxu ma