The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-09-21
Trpme. S1.OO per year, in advance
'6nmo' ! Six Months 50 Cents.

seven nunQrou million dollars spent
annually for intoxicating liquors!
| What degradation, sin and misery this
produces. How many families does it
leave on the brink of starvation? How
many wives. mothers and sisters have
shed tears of sorrow through this cause =?
How many are brought to an untimely
grave? How many weary years of toll
are spent behind prison wall, either di-
rectly or indirectly, through drink?
And still this goes on and is recognized
by the government. Ten cents buys a
pound of meat and the cost of two
drinks would pay for pound of butter.
What joy and happiness this seven mil
| lions Of hard earned dollars would give
to all if it was spent in good food and
clothing and proper enjoyment. How
bright and cheerful the home will be-
how many prison would become ruins
for the want of inmates? May the day
soon come that this evil will be eradi-
Gated from the face of the earth. "A
contributor to THE MIRROR has said
that men drink to get up the requisite
courage to commit crime. Is man
filled with liquor sane man? Would
he commit the act if filled with water?
Emphatically no. BRIGHAM.
Xxx
Intemperance, coupled as it always is
with lewdness, are the Siamese twins
of the powers of darkness Together
they form coalition that is next to
omnipotent for evil. They drag down
to the dust what is nOblest and best in
man and womankind and pollute even
the babe in the cradle. Is it wonder
then that women, defenseless and unpro-
tected against the most abject humilia-
ton and degradation, should join in de-
manding the withdrawal of sanction by
the law Of the liquor traffic? Nor
should the cause of temperance be eX-
clusively wOman's movement. For
no home is secure against the inroads
of this all-pervading evil. No man who
truly loves his wife and children should
refuse to lend his aid toward the sup
preston of so much heartache. sorrow
and want. The traditional responsibility
of old-time and old world hostelries has
long ago departed and the liquor traffic
has passed into hands altogether un-
principled and solely bent upon coming
golden nuggets out of the tears and
miserieS of it's most innocent victims.
Hence there would be no injustice done
were these panders to vice compelled
to seek pastures new or change their
vocation of dealing out liquid damna-
tion to something more honorable.
ST. CRIsPIN.
***
The worst foe we have in this day is
strong drink that flutters the pulse and
pOisOns the brain. Time was when
man might have wine on his table, and
as good men as ever lived practiced that
custom all their lives and have gone in
to glory sitting down to drink new
wine in our Fathers kingdom wine
that never intoxicates. But that day is
passed In this day the line is so
throughly drawn that there are but too
sides: the men who are for rum and the
men who are against it. We cannot
afford to sit on the fence for either this
side or that side will pull us over.
Now let us not stop to discuss this
question, for the liquor traffic is an
evil that is against God the aggressive
enemy of his church and the greatest
impediment to the triumph of right
eousness in this world. Do not tempo
riZe with such monster, nor seek to
reform it. License gives it prestige
and power While it lives it will grow.
Throw your wine flask out of the win
dow and fill your demijohns with kero-
sene oil and turpentine Our only great
hope for the salvation of the land from
strong drink, and for the redemption
of the nation from this evil habit, is
to resolve to be firm teetotallers and on
teetotal ground stand. Touch not,
taste not, handle not. A. A. w.