The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-24
HIGH LICENSE.
Father Weichman Thinks the Liquor Evil
Ought to Pay for the Expense 1t Occasions.

Rev. F. c. Weichman, of Anderson, spoke at
st. Josephs Catholic Church. last evening, on
Total Abstinence The audience was of fair
proportion but had the excellence of the lecture
been understood it would undoubtedly
have been much larger, though it
certainly could not have been more
attentive. He said the architect who de-
signs to erect a building takes exceeding good
care to prepare the foundations well, in order to
carry cut his ideas of harmony beauty and
strength. In the moral world we should be as
prudent as the architect in regard toour founda-
tons, which are given in the cardi-
nal virtues, among which are pru-
dence, fortitude, justice and temperance
Whatever serves to weaken these foundations is
certainly to be carefully inspected, that after in
spection we may devise such means as are best
adapted to strengthen the building. Intemper-
ance, all are compelled to admit, is the greatest
evil of the present day, as it destroys the whole
moral structure. 1t is ruinous to the best rela-
tons that govern man, so far as character is
concerned; it is destructive Of his self-respect
and absolutely destructive of all those condi-
tions which govern his intercourse with his
fellow-men.
The father, proceeding showed the blighting
influences of drink upon the individual, upon
the state. the community, upon home life; that
it destroyed habits of industry, that it increased
diseases and multiplied paupers and criminals.
He showed the injurious example of the moder
ate drinker upon those about him, and the dan
ger that kind of drinker was in, as the habit was
likely to grow upon him. Drinking brings neg
lect of.the duty that is incumbent upon Chris
tian neglect of prayer and the service of God.
and scandal upon the members of ones family.
The man who drinks units himself for the high
est and greatest occupations that should engage
men. The use of Intoxicating drinks saps energy
and cripples industry. 1t is charged that in our
advocacy of temperance we are inclined to be
fanatical, and certain persons talk loudly about
personal liberty. AS Catholics cannot claim
we have right to interfere with personal lib
erty, but we Go claim that personal liberty has
no right to outrage the sense of decency in a
community. That, we say, is carrying things
much too far. That which is an injury to the
neighborhood in which / live is an injury to me-
We have a right to ask that man shall not injure
his fellow-man. We have right to insist that
if he injure his fellow-man that he either be re-
moved or be restricted in his capacity to doaevil.
The father then proceeded to show that the
saloon interest violated all the laws that had
been made to control it. It violated the IL
o'clock law, it sold to minors to drunkards, and
paid no attention in any of the cities or towns to
the Sunday restrction-all these things are done
by these personal liberty creatures. There is no
restriction or safeguard that the law has thrown
around the traffic that these men do not
violate. If law has for its object the
promotion of the better conditions of So
ciety it is certainly right that these
violators should be taken in hand and punished.
When the laborer the mechanic, the merchant
and banker goes to his rest, these drinking shops,
ulcers upon the commonwealth, are allowed to
keep open and disturb the repose of decent citi
Gems in the neighborhood with brawl and quar-
rel, and sometimes riot and murder. Yet we
are so tolerant of this thing so ready to yield to
this wicked, law-breaking element in our COM
munity, that we lie down passively at their COM
mand.
We have right to ask that. the State shall
take this matter in hand. We can not ask for
prohibition, but we can ask an increase OF the
license under which they conduct their business
We may differ as to means, but by this means
we will limit the number of drinking places
Then, instead of there being one saloon for
every 500 people, we would try the experiment
Of having one for every 1000 people. They
would then be fewer in number and
be made to bear nearer their pro-
portion Of the expense they cause in
community The man who has
to pay down $500 or 81, 900 for license would
not sell to minor and run the risk Of losing his
license; he would not sell liquor on Sunday; he
would not violate the law so readily as he does
now and run the risk of forfeiting his license
and losing his money Where high license has
been tried it has increased the revenue wonder
fully. The additional money raised in Chicago
by high license made forty-eight miles of streets
There was part payment for the wrongs the sa-
loon-keepers had inflicted upon that community.