The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-01-23


legislative halls sufficiently brave to cast
aside all fear of open and secret friends of
the deadly serpent, and swear never
swerving fealty, and devote time, fortune
and friends to cause fraught with as much
importance to the well being of people as
that which animated the hearts of the fathers
that gave to their country what man holds
dear-pOlitcal aud religious liberty-and
brought forth Washington and his gener
ais 1t is fraught with as much importance
because this evil is absorbing the sap that
gives life to the tree of liberty. 1t makes pO-
litcal freedom a scOff and a delusiOn. 1t
makes legislation subservent to the snap of
its eye. 1t stalks boldly through courts of
justice; and it enfOlds in its Shiny embrace
the soul almost at the door steps of the
sanctuary of God aud the benedicton of
His ministers. And in all the walks of life,
political. judicial and religious. the trail of
the Shiny creature. Intemperance. is found.
Again we say, where in all our broad and
beautiful land shall Washington be found
who will marshal his generals and they
their hosts to clear our state governments
of the dominating influence of King Alec
hOl, and let High License become law i'm
the land. and the traffickers of liquor d
sous-far more perniciOus than slavery in
the south ever was-becauSe SubServient to
the state.
If Robert G. Ingersoll would preach
Christ crucitied as eloqnently as he
breaches against intemperance and
the liquor traffic generally he would deserve
the plaudts of people and press and the
gratitude of all mankind to far greater
extent than he does. But as half loaf is
better than none. all haters of whisky and
its pOluting effects should. and no doubt
do give him the friendly hand of charity
and kindness wherever they may meet HIM
if for no other good words than the follow
ing quotation which. although published
before, cannot grow stale and should be
the leading article i'm every newspaper
throughout the world three hundred aud
sixty five days in the year. framed IN letters
of gold. and hung up in the sitting room of
every family all over our broad land. There
is hundred sermons against the use of
liquor in every line red hot shot that
burn truth into the soul with every word
''Intemperance cuts down youth in its
vigOr, manhood in its strength. and aye in
its weakness. 1t breaks the fathers heart.
bereaveS the dOtlng mother. eXtinguishes
natural affection. destroys cOnjugal love,
blOts out tilial attachment, blights patelnal
hope, and brings premature age in sorrow
and dshOnOr to the grave. 1t produces
weakness, net strength: sickness. not
health; death. not life. 1t makes wives.
widows; children, orphans; fathers. tiends
and all pauperS. 1t feeds rheumatism
nurses gOut. welcomes epidemic. invites
cholera, imports pestilence. engenders con
sumption and covers the land with dleness,
misery and crime. 1t produces controversy.
fosters QuarreS, cherishes riots. 1t crowds
our penitentiareS and furnishes victims for
the scaffold.
"Alcohol is the blood of the gambler, the
inspiration of the burglar. the stimulus of
the highwayman, and the support of the
midnight incendiary. 1t suggests the lie
and countenances the liar, c0ndOnes the
thief, esteems the blasphemer. 1t violates
obligations. reverences frauds, turns love
into hate, scOrns virtue and innocence. 1t
eXcites the father to butcher his helpless
offspring, and the child to sharpen the par
ricdal ak.
"A lcOhol burns up men. consumes wo
men. destroys life. curses God. and desDiSes
heaven. 1t subOrnS witnesses. nurses per-
fidy, defileS the jury box, and stains the
judicial ermlne. 1t brbeS voters, cOrruptS
elections. pOllutes our institutions and ell
dangers the government. 1t degradeS the
citizen. debases the legislator. dishonors
the statesman. and djsarmS the patriot. 1t
brings shame, not honor; terror, not safety:
despair, not hope; misery, not happiness;
and with the malevolence of a fiend calmly
surveys its frightful desolatiOn; and revel-
ling in havoc. it poisons felicity. destroys
peace. ruins morals. wipes out national
honor, curses the world and laughs at the
ruin it has wrought. 1t does that and more
1T murders the soul. 1t is the sum of all
villany. the father of all crimes. the
mother of all denominations. the devils best
friend and Gods worst oOamv