Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-10-20
For THE HERALD.
THE PROHIBITION AMENDMENT.

THE PROHIBITION AMENDMENT.
On last Monday evening. the Sth,
Mrs. Jennie McClurkin addressed the
people of Martinsburg in the interests
of the Amendment. We were charm
ed with her modest manner, pure die
ton and cogent logic. She first paid
a glowing tribute to our worthy sires,
who, through toll and tears, carved
out for us our Republican govern
ment. of the people, for the people,
and by the people quoted from a
speech made by Canon Wherefore in
Brooklyn, on theeve of his departure
for Europe, in Which he said the
world is anxiously watching the ex-
pertinent America is making in her
present form of government as to the
issue. Said he, if we would insure
success, we must first set our heel on
the liquor traffic. She insisted that
the prohibition of the liquor traffic is
the question before the American peo-
pie to-day. That politicians would
make us believe that it is the tariff,
high or low; she said she believed in
protecting the infant industries in our
land, but she regarded the youth OF
the land the most valuable infant in
dustries we have, and most sadly
needing protection from the blight
ing influence of the legalized rum
traffic. She said that this amend
ment to be voted on on the 9th OF
Nov. in providing for the prohibition
of the manufacture and sale of ardent
spirits in this state as a beverage, is
the great question of the day.
LIST. Because it is a great human
question; she showed that men are
most inhunan unless conscience has
been debauched ana put in our peck
cts, and gold becomes our god. as is
the case of those who make their liv-
ing by means of the wretchedness
and ruin of their fellow men-she
showed how we build lighthouses
and man them, so as to rescue unfor-
tunate human beings who are some
times wrecked, and showed that
many more are engulfed by the terri
BILE tide of intemperance than by all
the angry seas of the globe combined.
She says when we consider that the
saloons must have your boys in order
to run successfully their business. for
the old topers will soon be dead and
in a drunkard's grave, when we con-
slider that these boys will soon form
that army that annually die drunk
ards, when we recall what God says
that "no drunkard shall inherit the
kingdom of heaven" and hence they
must fill drunkard's hell, when we
cause to pass in review before us the
children made orphans and paupers,
the wives made widows and wretch
ed, the mothers and sisters broken
hearted, we say it is an intense hui
man question, and we are human,
Cd. She showed in the second place
that it is also moral question. If one
should demur and say that the saloon
is immoral, we admit, but say that
the prohibition of it is moral ques-
ton. The saloon fosters the habit OF
drinking and hence of drunkenness.
That its legitimate business, through
the system of treating, many pure
boy is debauched and ruined. There
they come in contact with the worst
elements of society doing their worst
deeds. Is not profanity, vulgarity,
and blasphemy rife there when men
and boys have taken into their mouth
that which steals away their senses
as we'll as their morals? Is not gam
bling practiced in many of them
Is there one moral feature about q
liquor saloon? Could you pray for
the success of saloon? It's success
must mean more men, more boys,
spending and drinking. more and
more. Is it not the cause of much OF
the pauperism and crime? Could
these be found any place out of hell
where every virtue would more GER
tainly wither and every vice would
better thrive? Is it not then an in
tensely moral question.
Sd. She showed that it is also fin
ancial question. We hear much talk
about stagnation in business and over
production. Were all the money
spent for strong drink spent in build
ing homes, would it not quicken BUSH
ness /? Were it spent In food and
clothes and books and comforts would
it not make the purchasers happier,
and tend to break up the stagnation
and over production The saloon en-
riches US much as would a civil war
in our land, or destructive fire in our
city. While it might enrich few,
it would impoverish the country and
the city as whole; think of an army
of five hundred thousand parasites
saloon keepers whose greed is for
gain, selling upon the weakness of
sinful, suffering humanity and ring
ing from their hands nine hundred
million dollars annually, nearly
twice as much as is spent by the
nation for bread. When we recall
that one half CT the insanity,
six tenths of the pauperism, three
fourths Of the crime, are the works OF
the saloon, and recall that honest,
toiling taxpayers have this bill to
foot, does it not become a financial
question?
4th. 1t is religious and political
question as we'll. You say we are
trying to make men sober by legisia-
ton. No we are not We are trying
to make it impossible for them to be
debauched and made drunk by law,
as they are now when men are licen-
If they are permitted by law to do
this work protested christian voters
must give them that right. If we
pray against the saloon we must vote
against it, if we vote for the saloon
we must pray for its success, or else
stand convicted at the bar of con-
science and of God of inconsistency
and hypocrisy. We look to you as
our representatives at the polls, as our
protectors, we demand this of you on
the 9th of Nov. next. We believe
you will not betray us to our deadliest
foe. TEMPERANCE.