The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-12-06
THANKSGIVING.

the community goes on, quietly, insensi
bly. vet no less surely, which always FOL
lows when community relies upon
law or system of ordinances to do VIVA
can only be accomplished by vital force
DO YOU know the symptoms Of it! A
general apathy and Indifference to th'
whole question. A deadening of:th'
conscience to the present and urgen
evils of strong drink. A dulling OF thu
sensibilities to the actual infringments o.
law aud order.
Men see or hear of the opening Of
new dram shop and it ia only matter o.
news and of easy pleasantly TO them
There is gradual weakening OF respect
for law as the highest expression OF the
sentiment of community. A slow un
dermining of truth and sincerity and
righteousness in the community. A loss
of self respect, a weakening of the moral
sense. How can II be otherwiseN
When community has aroused itself
On election day and has declared by the
highest expression of its collective life,
that this is an evil and curse; and has
nut il under the ban, saying that it shall
NOT exist within our borders and then
drops the whole matter, how can there
fail to be a loss of self.respect9 A tone
of apology Is noticeable or the talk Is
Of tolerance and the difficulty OF rigid
enforcement.
And so it goes on, this process OF Ell
faebling and unnerying the people. Oh,
how well | came to know the signs Of 1t
l.. the dear Old state Of Maine, and more
than once have cried out, there are some
things Of even more value in commun-
ity than total abstinence, and one Of them
is truthfulness, aud another Is self re-
spect. And if prohibitory law necessi-
tstes the sacrifice of these, 1t may be tha;
the mechanism is too dearly bought.
But | do not believe that these are the
necessary results of system of prohibi'
ton. but that it gives the best standing
ground yet discovered for fighting the
lram-shop. lfpeople will only under
stand that II meaps battle field and not
au accomplished victory.
And that the victory like every other
triumph is only to be won by hard and
steady fighting, with blood and nerve
and sinew and the SUN total of vita.
force.
And SO third impression upon me is
that of an opportunity upon us right here
aud now, for splendid and effective
campaign Of righteousness and order.
A town of this size has an immense ad.
vantage over great city in this respect,
in that the evil has not attained so enor-
nous proportions that success seems
hopeless.
Think of starting a crusade against
liquor selling in Chicago, with 1890
saloons, bringing in revenue Of 81, S,5Oo,-
900.
But here lis small. circumscribed, You
can put your finger on it, estimate 1t, size
il up. 1t lives in the eye Of the commun-
ity, and 1t goes without saying that in
such town the moral sentiment is
overwhelmingly in favor of the en-
forcement of the Law and the absolute
suppression Of the dram shop. 10 ques.
ton it would be an insult to your char
scter, and challenge Of the supreme ex.
preston of your principles.
So that II only remains for the mighty
body of public sentiment to move, to be.
stir itself, to demand and secure the exc.
cution of It's own declared purposes.
And that Is perfectly simple thing to |
undertake and to accomplish. Let all
good temperance people lay aside all
mutual distrust and bitterness; let us
not call each other names, nor make
charges that may cause hurt and division;
let us not inss, that all shall take the
particular views of means and measures
that we happen to cherish.
Let us drop all names of party or
clique, or society Or creed. Let us take
Dm stand, aud let us call all good citizens
10 stand with us upon the demand for an
impartial and thorough enforcement of
existing laws.
This "a the least we can do with self
respect; and this is the greatest thing
Ye can do. II the law is good, let us
execute 1t; il Il is thus proved to be un-
wise and vicious 1t only remains to
york for its repeal.
The most successful campaign | have
.yer known was that carried on during
he present season In Chicago, Of which
iome ofyou have been accustomed to
link as a totally depraved city, where
hc dwellers in Hyde Park forgot oil diff
rerences Of sect, or party, or clique and
united in the demand for the execution
If the law In their prohibition district.
And are the times not especially favor.
,ble to such a movement; in the absence
Df any political question that might en-
barass or conflict with such an endeayorp
And especially in the vigorous attempt |
now making under the leadership of Mr..
II. II. Russell, of the Ohio Ant-saloon