Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-08-07
w. G. T. U. COLUMN.
LIQUOR TRAFFIC ARRAIGyED.
A Scathing Recital Of the Misery it
InHicts on Society.


Josiah Bartlett at Amesbury, Mass,
July 4th.l
The discussion of this subject
seems to me quite appropriate to the
occasion. Perhaps the highest hon
or we can pay to the founders of our
government, is to accept with pro
found gratitude the blessings which,
under God, they have transmitted to
us, and to face with manly courage
and patriotic determination what
ever problems remain to be solved.
Among these problems none are so
grave and pressing, and none threat
en- consequences so disastrous to all
that is most sacred in our institu-
tions, as are involved i'm the Ameri-
can saloon system. In the wide
sweep Of its malign influence it
touches, and threatens the very warp
and woof Of our social, political and
Industrial organisms
! How to curtail fndlfnally destroy
this evil is the great problem of the
hour It's solution stands next on
the worlds calendar of progress. 1t
has been called for trial, and cannot
badiSmisSed or postponed. The saloon
has boldly entered politics, and it
has come to stay until vanquished
or victorious.
Briefly stated, the question is: Shall
the liquor power with its dire and
deadly influence rule and ruin, or
lshall il be utterly dc.trovedp
This malign power has Organized
and masscd its mighty forces for the
conflict Ithas raised the black FLAG.
and proclaimed that he who will
not swear alleriauce TO if and there
bv become particcps criminis IL IFS
work of destruction and death shall
politically perish. The time has
therefor come when the issue must
bc met. Political parties can no
longer dodge tiff tbev would. Pri-
vatc citizens must take side openly
for or against the saloon. with its
methods and results. "Neutrality
is henccrorth mpossible. indifler-
ence is hcnceforth a BETRAYAL of the
trust involved i'm citizenship
To maintain this rigbt the saloon
power has organizcd IFS vast forces
formed its poIiticoI alliances and
now, conscious of its strength, bids |
n,,on ,lrnHnce 20 raw and public sem I
timcut TO maintain the right to |
get money 10y the wholesale destrhc- |
ton Of life, health, and property, it |
corrupts the ballot bribes legisla-
lures. tampers with juries, and seeks
to intimidate the weak and coward |
~ 10y arson and assassination.
Not less than 50, 600 victims 20 an
nuuly to the drunlards $ grave from
the homes of this land
Alas! how true and terrible is this
indictment of the saloon. Oh, that
from every hilltop and valley, from .
mountain and prairie, from city and
hamlet, from lakes to gulf, and
from sea to sea, there might this dav
arise the united voice of our sixty
millions of people in most solemn
declaration of independence of this
cruel king, whose injuries and usurp-
atious threaten the destruction of
our free government As did our ta-
theirs when they resolved to throw
OH the absolute tyranny Of bad
king, so let us give certain facts To
candid world. This monster, sit
ting supreme i'm the politics of this
country, has enacted laws authoriz-
ing him TO open in all our towns and
cities slaughtcrhouses Of men, wum-
en-, and children, and of all virtue.
lie has enacted laws permitting