The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-11-30
The People VS.. The Liquor Traffic

Tine People VS.. The Liquor Traffic.
What constitutes a state?
Not high-raised battlement or labored
mound,
Thick wall, or moated gate;
Not cities proud with spires and turrets
crowned;
Not bays and broad-armed ports,
Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies
ride;
Not starred and spangled courts,
Where, low proved baseness watts perfume
to pride.
No: men, h~igh-minded men,
With powers as farabovc dull brutes endued
In forest, brake, or den,
As beasts excel cold rocks and rambles
rude
Men, who their duties know
But know their rights, and, knowing, dare
maintain.
Prevent the long-aimed blow,
And crush the tyrant, while they rend the
chain;
These constitute a State;
And sovereign law, that states's collected
will,
Ger thrones and globes elate
Sits empress. browning good, depressing ILL.,"
The defendants in this case have only to
prove that the liquor traffic builds up the
State by building up the individuals who
constitute it. If it builds up its patrons
socially, financially, Intellectually, and
morally, the case of the people against the
traffic must fail. If, ON the contrary, they
fail to show that their business benefits
directly their customers, then their bust
ness must go. Let us see il it does.
PRODUCERS AND NoN-PRoDUCERs.
Let me illustrate. Call up here a mer-
chant and a doctor: two of one class.
Place here a saloon-keeper and a thief; two
of the other class. Do not say 1 I'm max
ing my point too strong; this is the teach
ing Of every man who ever wrote a work
on political economy, and am simply stat
ing what has been affirmed by men who
advocate and believe in license. | will
show you the difference between these
classes. / turn to the merchant and say
to him: "You receive money from the pro-
ducers of this country. You must show
what you do for society, and What you do
What do you give in return for the pro-
ducer's money!" He II am sim
ply the agent of producers. | act as their
hired man, to a certain extent. The pro-
ducers manufacture or grow certain COM
modities; in another country other pro-
ducers provide other commodities. take
the commodities which these men produce,
ship to other producers, and bring their
products back for others" Although our
farmers tried to abolish the merchant a
few years ago, they learned that the con-
duct of commerce is a science and that the
men who were novices in the matter were
lily fitted to carry it Oh. When we have
examined the merchant, we find he returns
equal value for the money he gets.
We turn to the doctor and say: doctor,
you receive money from the producers
while you produce nothing yourself. Tell
us what return you make for the money
received" He answers: F"The producers
of this country do not take care of them
selves. In the first place, many of them
do not understand the laws of hygiene.
They become sick, and l I'm simply the
ObC ~ ItUdlio liC iidCiiilciy. Oilt
time, on the Chicago, Milwaukee, and st.
Paul Railroad, | was talking with an hon
ored friend, M. Quick, and | asked him:
"What is your business?'' He said: 81 am
pump-doctor." He was the Hydraulic
engineer. He was the man who had charge
Of the sick pumps of this road. When a
pump would not work, lie doctored it.
Now, the physician stands in the same
relation to society in which that man
stands to the railroad; he is the one who
repairs the physical machinery of the pro-
ducers. When we have examined him
closely in regard to the money he has re-
ceived, AMI the work he has done; when
We think how VIC have seen him standing
by the sick-bed of loved ones, as hope was
dying out, and the only ray OF light was
the thought that God gave and God was
taking away, and heard him saying, to
comfort the breaking heart: "While there
is life there is hope;'' when the loved one
came back to health and strength, we took
the money from our pocket and willingly
paid the bill for services rendered. The
physician assists the producers for the
money he receives.
CLASS.
Next, examine the others. "Mr. Liquor
dealer, you get the money, what do you
give back for it?" "Whiskey and beer. -"
"Well, sir, let me put a hypothetical ques-
ton to you. Suppose a man comes into
your saloon tomorrow, and drinks. Dur
ing the next week, the next month, the
next year, he patronizes you. For ten
years he is your best customer, giving you
the larger part Of his earnings and the
greater part of his time. At the end of
the time what will you have lone for the
mar in return for the money lie has given
you?" If the liquor-seller is honest he will
have to answer: Gle would have been
better off if he had never come into my
place. | have not only taken his money,
but | have cursed him in the taking.