The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-02
Damage to Trade.
By ,. W. HARMON.

noticed the coincidence between the sill
versmifhs Of the great city Of Ephesus,
1859 years ago, and the liquid lager
beer and malt whisky syndicate in
1886
History records the singular trag-
edy that occurred iD Ephesus, when
the great jerusalem lawyer, Paul, born
in the city Of Tarsus, and though jew,
became a Roman citizen by birthright;
who, when he visited Ephesus OF a great
prohibition mission, and publicly de
clared that the "silver shrines" manu-
featured by the silversmith Demetrius
and his craft, were no gods, and ought
not TO be worshiped by intelligent men,
they we're filed with wrath, and got up
a great riot and mob.
"The whole city was filed with confu-
sion, and the surging mob crushed with
one accord into the theatre"
The great body Of silversmiths and
their numerous employees, cried out,
"Great is Diana Of the Ephesians."
"Sirs, ye know that by this craft we
have our wealth" II you induce the
people to prohibit the manufacture Of
these goods, and turn to christianity,
great will be the damage done to trade.
And now the liquor craft Of 1886
like the Ephesian silversmiths of 50, are
vexing the public ear with their mob
cries, great is lager beer, and the malt
whisky syndicate" and with one accord
they rush into Congress and eur State
Legislatures, crying cut: Sirs, ye
know that by this craft we have our
wealth" What know ye not that
Congressman, and State legislators wor-
ship at the liquid shrine of lager beer
and malt whisky, and which all the
United States worshipethT'
Sirs, pause in your wild fanaticisnl I;
know We not that by this craft we buy
votes and control legislation by control
ing the old political parties; that we die
tate who shall be nominated for office.
Should prohibition be adopted by
the turning away of many voters from
the old parties, much damage will come
to trade and revenue in the United
States. We have millions invested in
distilleries and breweries, and machin'
cry, and five hundred and seventy
thousand persons engaged in the great
liquid syndicate.
But behold the light has been turned
on this dark page, as well as other dark
pages in our history. Was not the
lucrative slave trade craft swept from
the legislative page of American
and British history, amid the brawling
clamor of spectators in hman flesh,
vexing the heavens with the cry OF
financial damage to trade and commerce
| They said, "Sirs, by this slave trade we
have our wealth. We have millions in
vested in ships and merchandise. We
have thousands of men in our employ
We have licensed and vested rights that
must not be smitten down by legisla
ton"
But morality, justice, religion and the
sacred rights of home and humanity
prevailed, and the New England slave
trade, with its supplement of New Eng
land rum, died the death from the hand'
of a righteous legislation.
And now, it has come to pass, thu
morality, justice, and the sacred right:
of country, home and humanity as wei
as religion, has called forth noble army
of philanthropists, who have embarked
their energies, their talents, and thei
legislative wisdom to abolish from thu
legislative page of every State, thu
damaging privilege to manufacture anC
sell intoxicating liquors, and in thu
future to put it under government sur
veilance, with dire penalties attached
against all who should attempt to manu-
facture it as a beverage.
But 80 much light has been turned in
and so many revelations made as to tn,
damage done to society, to homes, t.
men and women, that commission o
inquiry has been called for by the peo
pie, to look into the corrupt work of thi
liquid syndicate.
Legislation and the ballot box ha
been corrupted by it until the blood-ret
flag of defiance to all law has beel
Haunted ir our faces in all the larg
cities, and the franchise bartered in tn
saloons, until an honest election !
turned into criminal farce, and thi
grand heritage of our patriot sires
inperilled.
, Aristotle says: "He who bids the lay
to be supreme, makes God supreme; bu
, he who entrusts man with the suprem
power, gives it to a wild beast.
II would seems as if the people Q
these States have committed to a fe'
Congressman the supreme power, al
I they have turned their backs on pur
! law, and refused protection to our home
wives and sons. We are in the hand
for the present of some of Aristotle
wild beasts, who care nothing for th
sacredness of human prosperity or haI
piness Of our citizens.
:. But the repetition of these acts o. ou
4 Congressman, has caused the tocsin {
: alarm to be sounded, and is arousing
V volcano of red-hot indignation. Br
e the time is at hand when the teeth an
q fangs of these wild beasts and lion
4 shall be jeTked out, and then spavine
: aud starved mule will hardly kick ;
/. them. We shant inquire into the dan
V age done by the liquor syndicate, So
) these stalwart Congressman, but thi
4 will not prevent us from inquiring in
/. your political status in the future; f,
10 the revelations in and out of Congres
n will force the national prohibition par
n to the front; the new birth in politi
Is having already given us Samson wi
il has borne off the gates of several cite
h. and one State: aud will yet redeem OF
/ goodly heritage from the liquid synC
3. cate and Aristotle's human wild beast