The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-05-24
Friday, May "a, 1850.
Waiting for the Hour to Strike.

siders the liquor traffic doomed, aid
when capital gins to withdraw from
the business its downfall may be ex-
pected to approach with accelerated
speed.
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC FINANCES.
The agitation of the moral question
involved in the traffic in intoxicants has
reached the point where it engages the
attention of economists and fnanclers.
The timidity of capital is we'll known
and that the far-seeing owners OF prop
erty 10 distilleries, breweries, liquor
stocks and businesses both wholesale
and retail should be seeking escape
therefrom in various ways is not to be
wondered at in view of all the facts,
and when considering the progress that
has been by the movement against the
liquor traffic during the past ten years.
The Financiter is not interested in
popular discussions except as they
trench upon ground of peculiarly a
financial character, or are of such mo-
ment and magnitude as te decisively
effect the moral current Of commerce
and industry. The agitation of the
liquor question has reached this stage
of success, or progress perhaps is the
better word, and it is an interesting
study to the social and the economic
student to observe the phenomena
accompanying the peaceful agitation for
a great social revolution in the customs,
vices, habits and commercial profits OF
large portion of a population number
IS millions people.
The agitation for the suppression of
the traffic in intoxicats takes its rise in
philanthropy. This must be, for there
is no agitation against the traffic in
bread, Large numbers of people, who
in many communities and states are
mallory, have observed that much of
the crime, poverty, sorrow and wretch
edness of the people can be traced dl-
rectly to the use of intoxicant as bev-
erages. 1t is the habit of the American
mind when convinced of fact to act
upon it. 1t is the same course Of pop
u!ar reasoning that suppressed human
slavery. Men and women could not
endure its revolving atrocities, the
separation of mother and child, Of hus'
band and wife, of brother and sister,
and the cruelty of the lash and the
brutality of the driver and the over
seer. AS they agitated and converted.
and passed local laws and State laws
and whole sections Of the country be-
came opposed to the institution Of
human slavery. the price of the negro
fell in value and the owners of slaves
and supporters of the system, were
forced by pecuniary interests into q
closer bond OF union.
The far seeing and more prudent o.
the slave owners realized in cash on
their property in slaves and went into
other lines, but the majority, as it will
ever be remembered, pursued differ
ent course, either from conviction, ne
cessity or pervisity, but with a result
that was evident is every student Of
affairs from the beginning.
And we see in this agitation agains
the liquor traffic identically the same
phenomena presenting itself as in the
agitation for the suppression of human
slavery. Philanthropists, the church
benevolent associations and individual.
in their organized and separate capac-
tiles are pushing forward the agitation
with every weapon known to peaceful
revolution, and on the other hand w
find all those who have property inter-
ests in the traffic, closely knit together
in organization and community of in
terest for resistance. Because OF oul
form ofgovernment the contest takes or
largely a political character although i
is purely in its beginning distinctively
moral question. We see the price o.
liquor properties depreciating all ovel
the country and in many states prac-
tically unstable. 10 Boston the retail
establishments have been reduced to
$50 from many times that number al
an estimated destruction of values oil
over five million dollars; in Pittsburgh
the reduction has been to ninety FROM
fifteen hundred; in Philadelphia to
1900 from 1000; and all over the
State of Pennsylvania heavy deprecia-
ton and coufscation has occurred in
this class of property. In Iowa $4,000
places were wiped out of existence by
the operation of single statute; 10