Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-05

| progress. 1t has been called for trial
and cannot be dismissed or post
poned. The saloon has been duly
| entered in politics. 1t has come to
stay until it is yanquished or victorious.
Briefly stated, the question is, shall the
liquor power, with its dire and deadly in
tiuences, rule and ruin, or shall it be utter
ly destroyed? This malign power has or
ganized and massed its mighty forces for
the conflict. 1t has raised the black flag,
and proclaimed that he who will not swear
allegiance TO it, thereby becoming particeps
erlDatnis in its work of destruction and
death, shall politically perish. 1t has even
drawn the assassin's knife and lighted the
torch of the incendiary in order to inspire
dismay in the ranks of its enemies.
The time has therefore come when this
issue must be made. Political parties can
no longer dodge it, if they would Private
citizens must take sides openly for or
against the saloon, with its methods and its
results. Neutrality is henceforth impossi-
bic. Indifference is henceforth BETRAYAL
of the trust involved in citizenship No.
less than $4,000 victims go annually 10
drunkards' graves from the homes of this
land. Pestilence and war combined do not
IN this country equal its destructive energy.
The waste of human life wrought every five
years by our 200 600 saloons is equal to the
destruction of life by both armies, number
ing millions of armed men, during the en-
tire war of the rebellion"
Time, he said, would fail him to enumer-
ate the thousandth part of the events null
hplying the destruetiveness that flow out
OF the Infamous liquor traffic. King Alco-
hol must be driven from his throne After
expressing an earnest wish for the uprising
of the righteous Imagination and aroused
American conscience, he continued: "Un-
der all the systems of license, regulation or
tax, the work of rum and death goes on.
MynaGs of homes are poisoned, the pros
perlty of the country undermined, the
strength of our race wasted. Millions
are hurried to early and dishonored
graves. and lurid shadow is
cast on life beyond. Prohibition of the
liquor traffic is demanded of the people.
and politicians and statesmen who fail to
uphold 1t are treasuring up fuel against the
day OF wrath. Prohibition is in the air.
The nations heart is beginning to throb to
Its music. Its coming is whispered on
every breeze. The rising tide breaks all along
the shore, and each succeeding white.
fringed billow washes further up the strand.
Agitation on the question is the duty of the
hour. Let 1t go on from press, platform
and pulpit in the prayer meetings, and at
the ballot-box, until every patriot who
loves his country; ever Christian who
loves his God; every philanthropist who
loves his race; every father who loves his
child; every son of the republic will be
marshaled in the host to uulift the Consti
tuition as the banner of reform. and under
its folds march to the ballot boxes of this
land, and under an avalanche of freemens
ballot bury beyond resurrection the Amer
lean saloon. Then shall our whole Union
become the citadel of sobriety, and the ma
honal name be purged of this great shame"
Other addresses were made, as follows
Rev. Z. B. Webb, D. D., on Personal De-
votion, and the Patriotic Use of Wealth
Essential to the Perpetuity of the Repub-
lic;" Senator Platt on g Personal Temper
ance;' Professor Goldsmith on Com
mercial Union" Songs of Toll" bv
Carmen Sylvia" Queen of RoumaniaJ,
translated by John Ellitt Bowen, were read
at the close of the intellectual, feast