Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-06
DEMOCRATIC MARTINS RECORD.

Topeka Nov. 5.-The following address
was delivered by John Martin, Democratic
candidate for governor, four years ago, in
connection with the sentence he imposed
upon Henry Human, who had been con-
victed of violating the prohibitory law.
Judge Martin said:
"The law is absolute in its demands and
must be observed and obeyed by all good
citizens.
Not only for your benefit, hut for the
benefit of, and as a warning to others who
may be inclined to engage in the business
which has led to your present troubles,
think may properly make some sugges-
lions at this time respecting this traffic,
the effect and influence of which sugges-
lions / hope may not be without good
results.
For more than twenty years, | have
had ample opportunities for observing
he working and the fleet of the bust
ness of selling intoxicating liquors, and
have not been able to discover single
feature, circumstance or result that can
commend it TO the favorable considera-
ton of any decent respectable, or
thoughtful man; and in this conclusion |
think that you and all others will agree
with me- 1t cannot even challeng the
admiration or approval of ordinarily bad
men. | cannot conceive of any business
pr occupation, more thoroughly democrat
Ting in its tendencies and effects, or
more destructive of public morals, public
order and public decency than the bust
ness of selling intoxicating liquors. L
cannot perceive a solitary benefit to be de-
rived from it by single human being.
| cannot imagine blessing or benefit of
Rny kind that it brings or contributes to
The welfare of a community. 1t brings
Al a 70 -hn
GAGE in it, MS well as those who patronize
and sustain it. From its very nature it
brings you into contact with murder
p:s, thieves, robbers, gamblers, drunk
ards and every vicious element
and class in society. That such
associations can elevate or develope a
mans character intellectually, socially or
morally, is simply impossible. That such
associations Will inevitably and always
drag others down to the level of its own
baseness and degradation is absolutely
certain, and under such circumstances
and with this common knowledge which
all men must possess, i am utterly una
bic to understand how it Is possible for
any man, with any sense of decency, or
any appreciation of manhood or any
sentiment of honor, or any one having
any hopes or aspirations for respectable
social or moral standing in the communi-
IL, or having any regard for the conf
dence and respect for his fellow men, TO
reconcile himself to the idea of becoming
q common vender of intoxicating liquors.
II seems to me that to engage in such a
business, is to deliberately crush and ban
iSh from the heart forever every sentiment
every hope, every ambition and every ee-
ment of character that men generally val
re, as being useful and beneficial to the
world. Ii blights and destroys mems in
tellectual powers, and thus 1t makes our
insane. idiots, and imbeciles. 1t deadens
every sentiment of morality, decency, and
honor. and thus men become de-
Lauched, corrupt, vicious, dishonest and
destitute of all sense of shame, and of
every obligation of family relationship
friendship and citizenship
IL begets recklessness, carelessness, and
after indifference to. and disregard of, the
rights, the interests and the happiness of
others. l. invites. encourages and neces-
serily develops all that is base. degrading
and dangerous IN men, and destructive of
good government, good order and COM
mon decency. 1t Is a nursery for the
development and growth of all those
wicked practices which lead to the
crimes Of gambling (Which afer all
l. but another name for different forms
Of stesling) theft, robbery, arson,
perjury. murder, and every sort of public
rrime, social wrong aud private iudecency:
In other words it is a school house for the
species OF crime and an institution for the
Preparation of men. women and children
for the gutter, the poor house, the in
sane asylum. the reform schools. the
county Jail, the penitentiary and the gal
lows. But this is not all and while il
makes men Id an imbecilas by rohbing
them OF their reason. AMI makes drunk
ards, destroys all self-respect. blights and
blasts all manly aspirations; 1T also des-
polls men OF their property.
and makes homeless and hungry
wives and children. who shiver and
s,arre in winter, and starve aud burn in
summer; and after all these are but few
OF the evil consequences and bad results
out of the long list of crimes and miSeries
that necessarily flow from the business of
tratiicing in Intoxicating liquors. Ii may
be possible that an honest man of ordinary
Intelligence may engage in such busI-
mes but to me it seems impossible
Inc above was written by Judge Martin
and at his special request published in the
Westmoreland, Kan, Period OF date
October ,. 1884.