The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-04-12
[Chambers Journal.
Why am | Opposed to LicGlSG?!
RY J. H. ECoB, D. D.

high, seems to be an exasperatlng
puzzle. The average editor simply
RACES at the subject. The high-caste
editor talks down contemptuously to
th, ''cranks" aud fanatics" 3" The
politicians. to mau, first reason "a
little family, then curse, then vote
solidly the other way.
Now what can this wrong-headed
P Prohibitionist, crank and fanatic say
for himself? What excuse can he
give for his presence in world of
such sane, clear-sighted editors and
legislators and solid men of sense?
| must confess right here that after
the manner Of this same topsy-turvy
heresy, no-License, so I hold and so |
teach. I was once In the same world
with you editors, Legislators, sound
business men and the rest. | loved to
quote Emerson's sentence: Make the
backs of your vices bear the burden
of your taxes" [ loved to say that
sentence chiefly, I fear because it
said so well. always felt little
uneasy as to its morale. For if you
put your vices to such commendable
service as bearing your taxes, who, [
asked myself, will have the face to
rise up and slay such laudable beasts
of burden? Vices with load of taxes
on their back, are they not the
citizsns' friend? He is counted an
enemy who touches one Of them.
You might IA we'll take down your
Winchester rife and go hunting pack
mules In Italy or street-car horses in
New York. Vices financially valuable
are transformed into virtues eminently
So | began to be uneasy
about this whole business of giving
our vices any recognition or any
honorable task in our, Christian state.
l said, especially is it my business as a
minister of Christ to make vice loath-
some, repellant. | can give it no
quarter. | must everywhere and
everywhen lay open its true character,
its inevitable'tendency. Furthermore,
| reasoned, if our taxes are legitimate
they should be the offering of clean
hands in the name of loyal citizen
ship, not the reeking scum Of our
lazrrettos. While in this state Of
mind, my conversion to the insanity
of no-License was accomplished by a
certain experience.
| was called at ten o'clock one
night to go as speedily as
possible to a certain house on Water
Street. The family, which was one
Of our standing poor families" lived
in a dismal old rookery that was only
two stories high on the street, but ran
down to the rivers edge SO that in the
rear, as seen from the river, it was
four stories high. | made my way
lown shaky outside stairway that
IN that particular, gusty, dripping
night, seemed to end nowhere. |
came at last to a narrow, rickety
balcony that ran across the end of the
| could hear the water
apping under my feet.
| found the door Of the room open
md perfect silence and darkness reign
ng within. [ stood an instant at the
Ioor. A woman's voice came from
he darkness. YOU'D better not
ONE in. He's awful bad tonight"
The voice seemed to arouse some huge
'east on the floor, that Immediately
'egan to snarl and grunt and to
erabble heavily and aimlessly about.
The mother had heard the beast COM
ng, and had hastily thrown the
hildren ON the bed, and had planted
erself in front Of them. There were
hat delicate mother and her three
title children confronted by darkness,
old, hunger, terror; and he who
hould have come with light and COM
ort and protection was transformed |
D that beast | am not going to tell
ou how the problem was solved for
nat night, but tell you what | learned |
fterward. The father was trying to
sform. We had been helping him.
lie had worked well that week and
as returning with his wages in his
ocket. The saloon-keeper saw him
oming, and hailed him:
"Comin' in, amt ye, John?''
mo. Not tonight"
"Oh, come on in! | got something
} show ye; something new. Just
,me in. See here, I've got in a new
ock. Here's the incest thing you
7er see. Just taste Of that. '1'wont
,st you nothing"
II declare, that is good says poor
oomed John. "Just give me little
that. I'm tired as dog"
Then Johns wages began to pass
to the pocket of the saloon-keeper.
7hen the last penny had been trans
rred, and John was approaching the
Ingerous condition, he was hustled
70 &bo .4.oo1 onl of4ox =, 4;,,oo ,.,oJo
s way home, and the minister was
lied and found the black den over
Inging the river, the children thrown
| the bed, and the poor mother
anted in front of them, and the
asst snarling and grunting and scrab-
ing heavily on the floor |
As | stepped out again upon the |
lo1a |