The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-01-09
TEMPERANCE READING.
LAW-BREAkERS.
The Seller, Not the DrinlSer. the Re-
sponsible Party-Every Saloon FRI
mary school for Drunkards.

The Seller, Not the Driniser. the Re-
sponsible Party-Every saloon FRI
mary school for Drunkards.
The occupation OF dealing out rum
by the drink TO all who may desire 1t,
irrespective of age and condition,
seems to have demOralizing effect
upon all who engage in 1t. Their
moral natures become hardened and
scared, and there is soon bred selfish
indifference TO the rights of others,
and contempt for all laws and ordi-
nances which may interfere in any
way with the devilish traffic they car
ry on. Sunday-closing laws, for in
stance, are openly defed unless the
most strenuous efforts are put forth
by the officers of the law; and then re-
sort is had to all possible articles by
which the interdicted sale shall go on
by stealth, access being given to the
premises by alley ways and rear doors.
There is no other class of men who so
continually and brazenly violate the
law. Other men cheerfully observe
the day of rest, and keep the doors OF
their places of business closed against
customers. The keeper of the rum
hole evidently believes his greed for
gain gives him the right to annul the
law, and continue his occupation with
out let or hindrance.
The plea upon which this is done is
the same as that which saloonists use
to justify their violation of the Prohib-
tory law in States where such legis-
lation is in force-that people want
rum, and that they will have it. and
that 81 may as we'll sell it to them as
anybody" The argument is that the
buyers tempt the saloonists to violate
the law, and that the latter could not
transgress its provisions without the
opportunity of doing so which is pro-
vided by the demand of the drinker.
To the acknowledgements we are some
times led to believe that, at least as
far as this rum question goes, the great
majority OF our people are to thus be
classed--such an argument carries
some weight. But it is an entirely
superficial one. 1t omits from the cal
culation factor whose absence viii
ates the result. 1t does not take into
account that the man who insists upon
some one else violating the law in or
der that he may obtain rum is the vic
tim of the fierce and unnatural appe-
tite for iquor-that raging, burning
thirst. which makes that man the
veriest slave to its accursed power.
To crafty that maddening thirst, he
will become liar, thief, a law
breaker. No law, human or divine, is
regarded as binding that stands in the
way of his qualification; no oath is re.
garded, no pledge is kept, if it pre-.
vents his obtaining rum.
;, But the saloonist does not limit his
law-breaking to the qualification o.
the rum thirst in those who have be
come slaves to the habit. There mus
be fresh victims found, to be initiated
into the delights of that devils
, draught, rum, upon whom the &C
cursed habit must be fixed, that the,
may take the places of the confirmed
topers. If only the latter were sup
piled, and all others denied, the reigl
of the rum power would end in few
! years. when the present race of drunk
ards would be in their graves. Blu
the rum power is aggressive. 1t il
constantly reaching out for new vic
: Tins Every young man who enters
saloon for the first time for drink il
: practically looked upon as one to edu
:. cate into the drink habit-one who i
, to be as speedily as possible made tn
slave of this awful appetite that hi
wages may regularly form part of tn
revenue of the rum power.
. On every side men are tempted t.
drink. Upon the principal streets Q
: our cities the brilliantly-lighted sa
4 looms open their doors in invitation t.
a the thousands of young men beginning
), their career to drop in and spend thei
g evenings. They are more attractiv
= than the boarding-houses which ar
the homes of so many. They affor
light and warmth and merry CON
q pany. Is it any wonder that GU
young men visit themp But there !
punctilious etiquette of the saloon
which DEGREES that he who is visito
. must also be a patron, or be consit
\ cred a "dead beat" and perchance b
- ordered into the street. The youn
- fellows drink, not because they car
~ for rum, but because it gives thel
- the right to spend their evening
. there. The habit of drinking is b.
:, gun, the fierce thirst for rum is borl
:. and the feet of these young men al
:, turned upon the downward path.
What is true of the fine saloons Q
10 the leading streets, with their garis
Va ornamentation, is equally true of til
y. smaller rum-holes on the back streets
~ down to the lowest dives in the wor
~ quarter Of the city. Wherever thel
4 is a saloon there is a primary scho
. for drunkards. And the saloon is /
az no means confined to our cities ar
y larger towns All over this lam
~ wherever half-dozen clustered hous'
-, form the nucleus OF future town, 8
l o,,x,oe% ~ %ho r,,r, voowor 10 IN