Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-08-19
The Dement'S of Prohibition.

EVERY ARGUMENT OF THE LIQUOR MEN
ANSWERED.
1t is urged by many that they would vote
for Local Option ifthey could ooly see what
benefit it would be to the city. Listen!
Prohibition will remove the saloons from
our streets so that the little boys who now
come into daily contact with them will not
when they become older have acquired the
drink habit. 1t is an admitted fact that in
majority of children the appetite for
strong drink is as surely born ;ito them as
the appetite for bread and bu.ier, and it
needs only the presence of saloons, the
smell of liquor and the sight of men drink
ing, to arouse and inhame that appetite,
which is then only appeased by the con-
sumption of liquor. Where there is no
temptation there is no sin. Remove the
saloons and the child will not want that
which it does not see and of which i6 knows
nothing.
Prohibition will stop the blood-mills that
are to-day grinding happiness, hope and
life out of helpless wives and innocent
children, and save to those starving and
rerishing families the money that would
otherwise be squandered for drink.
Prohibition will purify the moral atmos-
phere Of our city, strengthen the work of
the churches, lessen the city's criminal ex-
penses and make many man, both old
and young, better citizen and more fit to
die-to meet God and the judgment.
''But," says my opponent, prohibition
will not prohibit" Yes it will, if the law
officers of the city do their duty, and we
have no fear that they will be derelict in
the enforcement of such an Ordinance
Heretofore they have discharged their duty
faithfully and earnestly and they will do it
in this matter. Set it down as a fact that
if Local Option prevails in this city the law
will be strictly enforced, without fear, favor
or affection.
Except in few isolated cases where the
Local Option law has not been as rigidly
enforced as it could aud should have been,
liable and carefully compiled statistics
prove this beyond doubt. Of course the
advocates of liquor pick out little instances
here and there in support of their plea that
Prohibition does not prohibit; aud if it does
not prohibit, why is all this fuss from
them? They should help to carry the town
dry if they can sell as much liquor under
no license as under license. Mark you,
theory and practice are vastly different
things.
"But," says my opponent, "if Prohibit
tion becomes law it will kill business. I"
No. sir. The same people who buy goods
now, will from the force of the same neces-
sity, buy them then. Prohibition of itself
will not fill mans stomach or cover fis
back, and every man must consume as
much merchandise if the town is dry as if
it was wet; and, besides, the money that
now goes for drink would then be spent for
family supplies (for there would be 10 glar-
ing Inducements to spend it otherwise),
thus increasing every branch of business
| from the boot blacks to the banker's-to
that extent, And even if the grass should
| grow in Our streets, as it is claimed, it we're
better to lcse few dollars than that the
| grass should grow over the graves of drunk
en- fathers and sons, who may e. down to a
drankard's death and perdition years be-
fore their appointed time to die. "The
wicked shall not live out half their days."
says God. If the occupants of several
graves in Thornrose Cemetery could only
speak they would in thunder tones declare
the truth of that quotation.
| And if saloons are SO highly beneficial to
the growth and prosperity of town why
do not Staunton's land companies advertise
that there are twenty saloons in the city
establish a large number of them on their
own lauds 10 increase the value of their
lots and as guarantee that investors will
reap largo rewards from the purchase of
adjacent lots? There is not a l.nd COM
pauy in the United States but that emu
merates every industry, from blacksmith
shop to bank, but never word is said as
to the number and product CT the saloons.
They know why, and you know why this
is not done. If saloons are to be the basis
of Staunton's prosperity, then Why do not
the moneyed mea of the city establish an
hundred of such ''desir able industries and
inaugurate the greatest boom Virginia ever
saw Wealth producing saloons! Yes,
wealth for those who run them, bat rags
and want and misery and death to those
VINO furnish the wealth! There are several
streets in the city of S5aunton that show
the blighting effect of the saloon, and there
are hundreds of helpless victims who hour
ly feel the effects of the curse of rum!
There is not an intelligent man who does
not know that saloons are 6eath-dealipg
to every interest of a city, and sugar-ona
ii as you may the truth remains, for truth
caunot be hid though mountain of error
be piled upon it.
"Bnt," says my opponent, if Prohibition
| becomes Law the taxes will he increased
to make up ths deficiency in the city