Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-05-15

Words That Burn.

On March the Sth. Senator Clark,
author Of the bill providing for the
more efiectual suppression Of the lille
gal sale and transportation of intoxicat
ing liquors and abatement ofnuisances,"
spoke in part as follows in the Iowa
Senate:
"The law OF public necessity fire.
quently demands the surrender of all
that a man has, including his life. Such
a crisis is upon us now. The public
good now and for all time demands the
surrender on the part Of the saloon
keeper of his unlawful business, and on
the part of every citizen the subordina-
ton Of his appetite; and as in other
cases of necessity, he cannot complain.
See how it is: Here is Chicago on ire;
conAagration is sweeping down a
whole city with its hot breath. Four
hundred millions of property go up in
smoke. But see then Phil. Sheridon
how he is violating the right of the citi-
zen. See him in advance Of the flowing
sea place explosives under great blocks
of private property and they are shat
tered to fragments. What right has he
to do it? The public good demands it.
He creates space into which tn fame
may leap and die out, that the whole
city be not burned up. Instead of
carping at the right to do this, all the
world clapped its hands in applause. 1t
was to intercept conhagration. Again,
an angry mob has possession OF tie
streets and threatens the price o: prop.
erty and good order of society. Does
any one question the right? Nay, the
duty OF the State Is to quell the riot,
even with sweep of grape and canister
from the mouth of the cannon. Here
again is city stricken with the plague
men and women are, pale with fear
life OF self and family are at stake you
wish to flee. Under that highest
law of the race, the instinct
of self-preservation. You have the
right to flee for your life but instantly
the law of Iowa throws the unswervine
line of quarantine around you and
holds you by force in the midst of pes
thence, the cholera, the smallpox or the
yellow fever. You may not be infected
but for fear of injecting others it il
thought best that you should even die
and your family with you. 1t is iol
: the public welfare. Every man says
! this is right. 1t is better that few
should suffer than the whole State be
/ exposed to the contagion. Did you
ever hear of the right of the citizen t.
/, collect damages in casd of this kind
Does the State pay for the property de
' stroyed to arrest a conhagration? Doe:
tpay FOR the lives destroyed in quellin.
riot ? No! Now then, for the fore,
, of this logic. The saloon is the con
: fiagration. 1t ignites every confagra
:, ton. 1t is the contagion. 1t generate
! every loathsome social and moral dis
t ease, loads the blood with deadly ma
0 laria that floats in every globule, ant
: eliminates in death in generations I'm
dorm, opens the vein OF the father anC
poisons the blood of his unborn insan
under the eternal laws of heredity
. Then may the State eradicate this evil
t may it destroy the saloon? Out of tn
e depths OF the human heart, out Of tn
= profoundest sense of right and self
n defence the answer is Numbered in GU
Y ears -'Yesl" Is it the right thing t
It do? Is it morally right, do you ask?
= answer that under ordinary rules {
!. good faith and justice it. is right.
e grant that the State permitted the brew
IL er and saloonkeeper to start into busi
y ness, that is to make and sell beer an
IS wine; but it was under the solemn cor
g tract that they should do only ths
7, Is much. 1t was agreed that no whisk
n should be sold; no drunkard shall pui
e chase of them: that they would not Sc
y to minors; that they would not sell
II persons in state of intoxication; thf
they would not sell ON the sabbath day
or election days. But the saloonkeepe
has deliberately and defantly broke
~ every covenant. He has insulted tn
|, moral sense and should the public col
IS science of the State in his ruthless dis
,e regard of all law so that the State ma
sr rightously sweep every saloon off tn
.e face of Iowa, as you would dead file
4, without any compensation.
: The saloon is dangerous for the go
4 eminent. In 1877 every car whet
ii across this contenent was Instant
4 stopped, commerce paralized by ma
y mob, most OF it drunk. 1t set the tore
r. to great corporation in violation
% law, and the citizens of Pittsburi
,e laughed at the revelry. But the mex
* day the blood of the mob was frenze'