Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-12-06
INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY
OF ALL MEN, sHo,un s,,,
PORT PROHIBITION.


nh. Liquor Traffic the Great c.,s
nnrtl limos for 1hcm-The Farmer Pow
All Its Bills, and Receives Notl,,n,
Eetu Il.
REV. c. Harley Smith, in the Nortbwes+o~,,
Christlan Advocate A"es'ern
Too many times persons saw of stats
tics: Il do ] OF know that these stots-
ments are correct, and l shall not con
slider them" Particularly is this trne -
the figures represent ideas contrary to
the individual notion. In this paner M
figures are to be given, but each persnn
is asked to reason reg riding the pronos;-
tons upon the basis OF his own oosarva
lions. The farmer is producer E;s
income is entirely dependent on the do
mands other people make for his mod.
ucts. If there be a large call for whoat
or corn or cattle, the price o, these nrod-
ucts advances in proportion. and the
farmers purse is better filled.
/. Whatever decreases demand low.
ers price. is known by every observ.
ins nun that the families of MANY drink.
ing men are poorer fed and clothed than
they would be it the head of the family
did not drink. Wherever this is the cass
drink deere ses the demand for farmers,
food-products, and wool and cotton for
clothing, and lovers prices.
2. Demand is more than local. tt ia
Eastern consumption that fixes the price
of Western products. Then every drink
by man whose family is poorly pro-
yided Tor, as result of drink, restricts
demand and lowers prices. Every so DON
in the United States is in antugonism
with every farmer OF every section, lessen
ing consumption and lowering prices of
agricultural products. Each saloon in
New York, Chicago, n Francisco, Mn
neapolls, or any~ here else, is all expense
to each farmer in Dakota, Wisconsin.
Kans"s, anu every other State. And the
open bar IN ones home town is in every
way financial burden and a curse. <
little reflection leads to some small idea
of the magnitude Of this burden upon
producers.
How many thousand families-some
near home and others distant-because
of intoxicants make half, or less than
half, the natural demand for agricultural
products?
8. IL is universally known that the
quantity OF grain used in the manufacture
of liquor ID small insignificant com
pared with the lessened consumption.
The prices of farmers produce would adj
vance perceptlbly aud satisfactorily in a
day if every nk-suifering person were
we'll fed and clothed.
4. Liquor drinking decreases demand
for manufactured goods. Factories are
shut down or running half-forl because
of restricted demand for their protluc-
tons. Industrious and sober workmen
are living on scant supplies because out
OF employment all or part of the time.
Why are these men suffering if neither
drinkers nor id ers? Largely because so
many men do drink to excess that there
is less than normal demand on the cotton
factories, wooden mills, shoe shops, fur
niture makers, house builders, stove
manufacturers, and others. The fam
lilies of thousands of temperate laboring
men are eating meat less frequently, are
coarsely fed and scantily clad, and in
every way making smaller demand on the
agriculturlsts then they would if drunk
ards families were properly provided
for. The moro prosperous other legiti-
mate pursuits, the greater ths call upon
the farmer aud the larger his compensa-
ton. The liquor traffic antas oniZes and
restricts every proper business, but the
bulk of The burden rests on the producer,
5. A large business makes low prices
possible. 1t drink restricted none in theil
living, manufacturers, wholesalers and
retailers-each doing a larger business
could live on smaller margin and farmers
would receive the benefit.
6. Because of liquor drinking there arc
many expensive accidents, defalc .tions
and bud debts" The profits of manu-
facturers, transportation companies, job
bers and local traders mus5 be large
enough to cover all these. How the ex
pense doubles up to the final purchaser
the farmer!
Z. 1t is matter of general observation
that most criminals and paupers ant
many insane are the children Of the liquo
traffic. The exp nse of prisons, asyluml
and officers TO keep the peace is enormous
Who pays the bills?
s. License money does not do it. The
chief advocates of license, even higl
license, are the very ones who pay it
the liqnor-dealers. They know it doe!
not come OFT of their pockets. The,
willingly pay this SO ns to get the Govern
ment to protect their business. Tht
license is an insurance pol cy guarantee
ing the saloon q legalized, popularizet
existence. The saloonkeeper gets his
license money all back and more. Farm
ers. of all men, should not favor license
In the West farmers pay three fourths O
the taxes and only small part of til,
license money goes into the count,
treasures. The farmers pay most of til,
criminal and pauper bills, and the cities
and villages get most CT the icens.
money. License is defrauder of every
one except liquor-dealers, but is double
deceiver aud curse to farmers.
8. The attitude of the liquor quostio,
now is high license or prohibition. Pro
hibition does not pretend to say mar
shall not drink; it provides that no mal
may put the bottle to his neighbours lips
A prohibitory law does not sacrifice per-
sonal liberty, but provides for it. higl
license destroys personal liberty, because
it provides that none may sell liquor ex'
cept those who can advance $500 OF more
license fee-monopoly. Prohibition law!
simply prevent white-aproned sucker:
from sapping the industrial life-bloot
from our country and the moral life-bloot
from our homes.
10. Some business men think they mus
pat every one on the back saloon keeper;
included. for the sake OF their business
Farmers have not even false pretenses o
reasons why they should not vote to
prohibition.
IL. The tillers of the soil are invited
to consider these suggestions, ana de
termine if their own observations DO no
lead them to accept the conclusions. i