The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-05-30

IhV CcHuel sIChgin OF lhe BOY, whose
voice at length came from the distance:
Look out, papa, I'm following you"
Then he bethought himself that he
should measure his pathway by the
standard of his chld's capacity.
Would that every day there might
sound in your ears the words, which
even though not uttered. are yet true:
Look out father, mother, teacher.
preacher, man Of business, man of Office,
elder in society, we are following YOU"
and be careful to take no steps in the
pathway which proves so fatal to so
many of the growing children of every
generation. They simply see YOU enter
the tavern, stand at the bar, take the
glass at the social board, and they say:
III he drinks why can not I?'
How many mothers heart near
breaks with awful anxiety as she OBJ
serves how her boy chafes under her re-
straint and pleading as he answers
every plea with: But mother Mr.. b.
drinks, and he is perfect gentleman"
How many wife's hopes grow dim
and faint as all her expostulations with
the husband she loves are met with the
ready reply: Yes, dear, but there is
MIR. A. who takes his wine, and is re-
spected and prosperous, surely l can
follow his example"
Please just sit down and think if any
child of yours, any friend. anybody
that comes into contact with you is be-
ing led by your example to taste and
love the drink. You can do without it
and be far better off in health and
pocket. Then do so, and give no oc-
casiOn to stumble or fall to any one in
your way.
Do not drink at all; then no one who
follows your example can be injured
4. Because in drinking you help sup
port and perpetuate the traffic.
And what is this traffic? Behold it.
Millions of bushels of food are by it an
nually wasted and turned into a subtle
poison. Millions of dollars of capital
are kept by it from productive business,
and turned into an enginery of waste
and ruin. Idleness, discomfort, pov-
erty, misery, crime and death crowd to-
gether in its wake. The homes it de-
stroys, the hearts it breaks, the lives it
sacrifices, the hopes it quenchcs, the i'm
mortal happiness it destroys are simply
incalculable. 1t is a foul, dark, devilish
blot upon our civilization. There is no
good thing it aids, there is no evil thing
it does not render more evil.
Every dime you spend for drink goes
to build up and keep this monstrous
system of evil. Why should YOU help it
with your money? Every time YOU
darken the doors of a dramshop your
n tlIpTcn iS IriN- IN {hn Ia,
more respectable YOU are the more help
YOU are to it. Why should you lend
your influence to this dark system of
wrong?
Every time you put your money or
influence at its back, that act is known
and noted by many. The example
tells. Others do as they see you do,
your custom brings others custom, and
thus by example you are bringing grist
to the fatal mill Why should you
draw custom for such an awful bust
ness?
And the traffic has the benefit of your
Endorsement. Whenever the drunk
ards shame brings the blush to its
face, whenever the earnest, honest de-
nunciation makes its conscience uneasy,
whenever the tears and exoostulations
of the wife or widow soften its heart
for the moment, whenever the terrible
ghastliness of the ruin it works flashes
before its vision, it finds support and
comfort in your sanction and influence
and name, and wrapping itself about
in the robes Of your responsibility for
gets the shame, STILES conscience, de-
MES the PRAYER of the heart-brOken.