The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-27
The REV. 8. A. STEEL
CRITICISED BY "sCRUTINY,"
WHO BELIEVES In "PIsON."
A List Of the Persons who Are
Benefited by the Sale Of
Liquor.
To the Editors Of the Appeal.

friends who sre subscribers to your
paper have requested me to make a
| remark or two upon a communication
a column long from the fertile pen OF
the Rev. S. A. Steel, the moutbpiece
in Memphis Of the "Rule and Ruin
party" commonly called the Prohibi-
Lonlsts.
To prove that they do bring ruin in
their track in every instance wbers
the people have been 80 demenied as
to let rule, / need, sire, only refer to
the back pages Of the APPEAL TO prove.
A few days ago this passage appeared
in a leading article; "The Prohibition
lists have everything their own way in
Rhode Island. The law recently car
lied by election is to go into effect in
a few days, aud liquor dealers are con
sequently sci ing out their stock aud
preparing to leave the State. The ho-
tells at Providence and Newport ara to
be closed. The effect of the election
on rent in the cities and towns has
been very perceprible, and real estate
agents say that there has been a large
decrease in the value OF all kinds OF
property, and that in many cases the
rsntnow offered is not enough to keep
the property in good repair and
pay the insurance.. The Prohtoitionis s
are hopeful and say that the law will
be str, ctly enforced"
Now shis Is coed reading for the
real es'ats owners OF Tennesses today,
aud will surely tell them how to vo'e
30 that this great moral parry will
never get them by the throat end have
the chance OF "stritt y enforcing" such
On moons itut onal aw here.
As the remedy is 80 much wore
than the disease the citiz ms of Ten
e'see will have none Of it.
Having regard Tor your space, l will
merely notice planks six and seven in
the platform. and bri fly answer the
end gentleman's fret question.
He dIags in o the Prohibition pud-
die a greas name, even that OF Herbert
Spencer, knowing that there is not a
single ethico-religio politico-economico
question under discussion in the
word today that the two gentlemen
would agree upon. 1t seems like tax
ing a great name in vain.
Plank 7. "All forms of vice ought to
be outlawtd and made publicly obi
GUS"
Correct. That is just what we are
for and no shamming, and with that
end in view l bave, since the Govern
or's proclamation, come cut to collect
details from the daily PAGERS of all
the crimes that have been reported in
those papers. / regret to have to adj
NIT that, although the number of pa.
pers l have seen are limited, the
amount of crime is pied mountain
high; aud another painful admission l
have to make is that as far as l have
examined the evidences it reflects but
little credit upon the great moral party
for veracity in getting up these statis-
tics. Whisky has for a long tune been
the great scapegoat upon which the
sins of the whole American people
have been placed, and l regret 10 say
that, shou d he be turned into the
wilderness or abolished tomorrow, the
great bulk OF the crime wonld remain,
aud, mike Ce ar's ghost on the plains
of Phillippi," rise up and rebuke the
servility Of the press and the hypoc-
risy of the pulpit in this boosted land
of liberty, in the near future.
One more remark and l am done.
The gentleman says" 81 suppose no one
will deny that the liquor dealer is the
only party benefited by this bust ness.
1t hurts everybody else" Now, as
falsity is on the face Of this sentence it
needs no denying. Thousands are
benefited all the time all over the
country. They are too numerous TO
mention, but l will name a few. The
nan that sells the trees to make the
slaves, and the man that makes the
slaves and hoops to make the barrels
and casks; all kinds of mechanics
that assist to build breweries and
distilleries, the farmer that grows the
corn, and barley, and hops, and grapes,
and apples, are all benefited more or
less; and lastly the taxpayer, and it
may be the $40, 100000 worth OF church
property said TO be held by the Meth
odist Episcopal Church is saved from
having so much to pay because the
much abused saloon keeper has to
pHy go much more than his fair share;
and Their the poor over-worked laborer
can 60 and get what he prefers, and
like
"Johp Bull in the morning takes soda and
Aud rich 'AIf and 'alf for . noOnsr;
But the festive canadian,
Aud blus-nOsed ArcadiAn,
They take he American schooner"
Trot out your forces, and like ghosts
they will fade at the Growing Of the
cock. SCRUTINY,