Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-10-26

SIGN-BOARDS.

Vigorous opposition of the liquor
dealers to the temperance movement
is natural, and it is to be expected,
for we war against the pecuniary
interests; and if you touch some
men in the pocket you touch them
where they live. Were these men to
exhibit at their places of business
truthful signboard, it would read
"Delirium tremens, fever, disease,
pauperism, crime, redness OF eyes,
wounds without cause, rags, wretch
edness, despair and death for sale
here" That would be truthful
Sign, but it would injure their bust
ness more than all the temperance
organizations in existence. The IL
quor-seller will not even set up in
his bar-room specimen of his work;
he puts up blinds at the doors and
screens at the windows to hide his
work from the passers-by but the
shoemaker and the tailor exhibit
their work in their windows, and
show what they have made out of
the raw material. The taylor, when
he has finished new coat, places it
where it may be seen by the greatest
number of customers when the
shoemaker has finished a first-class
pair of boots, lie places them in the
window, because the exhibition tends
to increase his trade. With the IL
quor-seller it is quite different. He is
ashamed of his finished work. With
him the raw material is worth more
than the finished article. Were he
to exhibit that he would lose his
trade. No wonder he is ashamed to
exhibit his work. In the worlds
great exhibitions you have seen fin
ished articles of nearly every manu-
facture, from toothpick to loco
motive. and the exhibitors were anx-
ious to explain the method of manu-
facture, or the texture of the woven
fabrics. Almost every conceivable
specimen of mans ingenuity and
skill was there represented, from the
raw material 10 the finished article.
But there was one specimen of man
ufacture absent. | remember at the
mechanics fair in Boston, many
years ago. being struck with this
fact, and on mentioning it to Deacon
Moses Grant, he proposed to apply
to the managers for permission to
exhibit a specimen of the liquor-sell-
er's work. He knew man who was
once worth $4,000 who was then
debased and ruined through drink.
He agreed for dollar day to stand
in that fair, with label in front of
him, which read as follows: 81 was
once worth $4,000. / was once re-
spected and respectable. l once
moved in good society. Such things
as l am are made out of such men
as | once was. Please give US a
premium for one of the best speci-
mems to be found in this CITY," But
they would not admit him. The IL
duor-seller is ashamed of the results
of his infamous trade. A boy was
passing by liquor-shop and, seeing
drunken man lying in the gutter in
front of the saloon, knocked at the
door, and said: "Mister, your signs
fell down." and the angry liquor
seller chased him half round the
square. See the results of this traffic
in its true colors, placed so full and
fair before you that the very young
est cannot err in their decision. A
liquor seller had tavern undergoing
repairs. One day boy came run
ming to his mother, crying out,
"Mother, mother % ''What is 1t, my
bow" "Mr. POOLS tavern is finish
ed, mother" 'How do you know,
my dear?" inquired the mother.
why, | saw man come out
drunk !" Now, that is the legitimate
fruit of the dram-shop.-John B.
| Cough.