Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-01-12
Local Option.
1. u. K.


whiskey will be drinked as long as tn
, world stands" was the very profoun,
, statement of a man whom Ionce heafl
t arguing against the closing of dram
e shops; and this brings up a point which
our friends Oh the "wet" side of Thu
question are urging with great dea
"f earnestness, viz, that the closing O
the saloons will not stop drinking ane
that there will be more intoxicants thar
before.
To the first statement I answer thai
no thinking man claims that drinking
or even drunkenness will be entirely
removed, but that both will be check.
ed. To the second / answer, every
truthful man will admit that to be un-
worthy of belief. The action of the
saloon men themselves is sufficient
contradiction of such statement. II
the closing of the saloons increased
drinking they would he doing all they
could to help the "drys" to carry this
election.
1t is claimed by our opponents that
the saloons are not a tempta ton, that
if men come in and drink no one is to
blame but themselves. Here again
[ take issue and affirm that saloons are
maintained by temptation alone. The
idea that men will engage in any BUSH
ness and not try to increase it is the
veriest nonsense. But the individual
is himself alone to blame. Let US see.
A man has a meadow and has also a
fine young colt separating which is a
three or four rail fence. Now the
meadow is all right, so also is the colt,
but if that colt learns to jump and
break into every tempting field he sees
who is to blame? You answer the man
who laid the. temptation before him,
who failed to build fence over which
he could not pass. Just so with our
saloons. We sign saloon petitions,
make the business legal and our boys
go over the fence and We are RESPONSE
bic for the matter. VIII you help to
| build the fence?
In the very beginning of this discus
sion we are met with the objection that
the closing of til saloon will increase
taxes. This, to many men, is a suffi-
cient objection; it's an appeal to his
pocket. Now, let US see whether it
can be shown that the liquor traffic in
cTedses crime, and that increasing
crime increases taxes. This point es-
tahlished the objection is removed.
One authority is sufficient, and if our
saloon dignitsries and representatives
can produce higher authority let them
do so and not give US so much twaddle.
The Supreme Court of the United
States has said: "7he liquor traffic is
the cause of more aUdnt, oaup erisna,
suffering, crime and public expense
than, perhaps, all other crimes com
bined."
Note the words: sOant, pauoerisna,
suffering, crime, public expense. Eel
low citizens. if this be not satisfactory
evidence, I appeal to a still higher
authority: your individual experience
and observation to say whether these
things are facts. 1t seems to me that
just and logical conclusion of the
whole matter is about. this: 'Intoxi-
cants increase crime, crime increases
expense and expense increases taxes.
Do away with the open saloon and you
lessen crime, lessen expense and lessen
taxes"
Another point. In my minds eye
[ see many noble little boy and bright
eyed girl trudging along in this world
with barely enough food and clothing |
to keep soul and body together. Mother |
dead and forgotten by father. Liquor
the cause of much of it. You say it's |
not my children. Friend, is that the |
reason you have determined to vote
"wet?" All. me; could I address an
audience on this point as see and feel
1t, could describe the scenes which
have witnessed and picture them as
they flash upon my mind, a wall of
woe would go uD which would cease
not until every saloon in Iron county
was closed.
Meanwhile the clouds are gathering
nearer and nearer, the solid columns
are advancing, aud anon you hear the
distant mutterings of the storm soon
to break upon us. No time ior indie
cision, no time for dismay, no time to
fly back like a scared deer. The lion
has already roared, let us beard him
in his den. Advance! The battle is
joined. Stand to your guns, soldiers,
and strike, till the last armed foe ex-
pires! Strike for God and home and
native land, and if We fall let US fall
in noble, honorable battle!
J. M. WENTWORTH.