The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-04-18
MORALS. NORTH AND SOUTH.

1t is favorite theory of the northern
Republicans that the Democracy is I'M
excelled, or unapproachable even, in
the consumption of whisky, and the
Chicago Tribune awhile ago gravely
argued that so many thousand of Demo
Gratis were being killed annually by fire.
water that the party was making no
Roadway whatever in the country. This
kind of talk is another illustration, it
appears, from recently published figures,
of the old dodge of the thief crying stop
thief. The st. Louis Republican is
authority for the statement that since
his return from the south, ST. JOHN
confesses that the temperance work is
further advanced in the south than in
the north. Mississippi has $50 saloons,
Minnesota, with about the same popula-
ton, has over 5000 saloons; Arkansas
has l,344 saloons, California, with about
the same population, has 0,369 saloons.
Old Bourbon Kentucky has d. 6l saloons,
and Ohio, 1880. Startling as the state.
ment may be, in proportion to the
population, the north has twice as
many saloons as the south. And yet
the south il Democratic and the north
Republican, and striving to be Prohibit
ton also.
Now 1t is an admitted and notorious
fact that the condition of morals may
be gagged accurately by the consump-
ton Of whisky, the number of saloons,
and the strength and Importance of the
liquor element. With such q fact ad-
mitted and such figures as tho above
staring them in the face, what have
these northern and eastern slanderers
to say in defense Of themselves and
their society? Upon the theory OF the
Tribune, that whisky carries Off a par
ty's surplus, the greater tho consump-
ton the g:6ater the loss of that party
dominating the whisky drinking COM
munities. The north therefore is annu-
ally losing two Republicans to one
Democrat In the south, and if prohibit
ton Is defeated a while longer Minno-
sofa and Ohio may become Democratic
beyond tho hope Of redemption. Ken
lucky rs she ships her liquid fire
through the north, thus becomes a Dom.
ocratic missionary.
But seriously, this statistical showing
but confirms fact known before by ey-
cry unbiased reading man that the
south to-day has fower murders, fewer
rapos, less arson, Tower delalcations
and the gross, bastial and revolving
crimes that shock whole communities,
counts Of which appear by tho score IN
the daily press Of the country, than the
north. The tone Of society Is better,
prize fights and revolving exhibitions OF
ono kind and another are less frequent
and, indeed, almost unknown, while
dishonest speculation and atock-gam.
bling and dishonest business methods
have never in the south reached one
half tho development that to-day is
found in tho north.
In one sense only are we behind tho
north, and that Is in wealth and indus
trial enterprise. Even in the latter field
tho growth is outstripping that in the
north.
It's like Haunting the red blanket in
the face Of the bull to urge these plain
facts upon the attention of the partisan
press Of the north, but they are simple
truths and the public has right to
know them. The miserable northern
ISLANDERS about crime and iiliteraOy and
immortality in the south have been re.
tailed long enough. Let the real whisky
guzzlers and immoral element of the
country look at themselves awhile with
the glasses through which others see
them.