The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-01-09

Cause and Effect.

Cause and Effect.
have read with pleasure the able article
by M" on the temperance question in
last weeks issue.
What l would ask is, why does man
drink to such an extent that he lowers him
self in the eyes of men to degree that he
is looked upon as worse than any beast?
Does he wilfully become sot for the honor
and glory of it? No, think not. In the
majority of cases man has some trouble
on his mind which he tries to shake off by
the use of liquor. And so from starting in
with small dose of the deadly liquor he
goes on until he finds himself in bottom
less pit, without friendly hand to help or
save him. How this matter is to be rem
edied is a proposition l do not pretend to
solve. Man has been a wine-biber ever
since the time of Noah, and will continue
to be such until the milleniun arrives.
Closing the saloons will not have the de.
sired effect. neither will prohibition. l have
travelled considerably in Iowa and have
been thirsty in that state; but l never yet
struck town in which | could not obtain
glass of soda water with ''stick' in it.
This does away with prohibition being a
preventive of drunkenness The idea of
doing away with all the saloons in the
country is not to be thought of. Why should
the majority suffer for the minority? If A
is fond of his glass of beer and chooses to
partake of it and has the good sense to
know when he has enough, is there any
just reason. ask, why he should be de-
prived Of his drink because B happens to be
l,oh RI rI or
loon but must needs get loaded up?
In my humble estimation saloonkeepers
are much maligned class, they do not ask
man into their house, nor when he is in do
they compel him to get drunk. If whisky
was not sold by salOOnkeepers it would. as
a matter of fact be obtained in some other
way. l would remind my readers that, let
any subscription be started in a city the sa-
lOOnkeeper is the first one asked to append
his name. and help in pecuniary manner.
Why could there not be started in every
state in this country an asylum for inebrates
the same as in England? Asylunls have
been in vogue in the latter country for a
long time, and the good result is manifest
in noticeable decrease of crime.
A stranger taking any interest in the laws
of this country is not little surprised at
the proceedings of the municipal courts, as.
| for instance, prisoner is charged with be-
| ing drunk; the policeman states his evil
dence: his honor then asks, the prisoner
what he has to say to the charge. Not
guilty." says the prisoner. But" replies
the Judge, 1.-THE policeman says you were.
and we prefer to believe his word to yours
-$25 or thirty days" If the unfortunate
has not the shekels to pay his fine he goes
to the bastile.
Now, [ say there is surely something
wrong about this. In all other countries |
have been inland they are many-in
trial of this sort policeman must bring
forth some corrOborative evidence. else the
prisoner will be given the benefit of the
doubt. Policemen may be. and, have no
doubt are, as a rule, an honorable body OF
men. But they are by no means infallible,
and are just as liable to make mistake as
any other man. Thus L maintain. many
an innocent man has been unjustly accused
and sent to prison. making him ruined
man for life, because when he is free he
feels the degradation he has undergone and,
like Ishmael of old, his hand is against
every one and every ones hand is against
| him. And so it comes that he tries to
soothe his sorrow in the flowing bowl, and
soon we have a case of ''anOther good man
gone wrong" for in nearly every instance
the unfortunate eventually lands in the
state penitentiary to do penance and re-
fOrm-if he can. If some OF our legislators
would look into this matter l am writing
about, l respectfully venture to say they
will find the snbject worthy OF their great
| minds and consideration. CARLOS