The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-01-25
The Liquor Traffic.

AutcllSCLudf as WolI Do utCaduNol uofolop-
ment. and these ara grand times for ma
tional congratulation. But what the peo-
pie most need is new resurrection or
capitalization of moral sentiment, applied
to the great overshadowing evil and curse
Of the liquor traffic, and we must have
the dominant sway of prohibition in or
der to reap the full benefits of our ma
tional progress, and as not only desirable,
but absolutely essential for the security,
health, happiness and welfare of the peo-
pie.
It is marvellous in the extreme 10 see
that intelligent men, who manifest such q
profound interest in Worlds Fair for
developing national interest and works Of
high art, with numerous educational
facilities that are so popular in both SCI
ence and literature, should bo so oblivious
to the awful crime and misery caused by
the liquor traffic! So much has been said
and done to show the poisonous character
and terrible results of alcohol as bever-
age, that otherwise conscientious and
Christian people should bs so apathetic
and not stand amazed when they see such
blind subserviency to the criminal ten.
denciss OF the times in allowing that the
traffic in this alluring, insidious, acrid
poison of alcohol, which has so clearly
proved itself to be the worst foe to our
homes, and most dangeous enemy to the
community, should be pampered and dig
nified as legitimate business, ia astound-
ing. That men having any standing in
society, or selfrespect, should allow such
an ignominious prostitution Of their in
fuence by endorsing this piratical traffic,
even by heir silence, is despicable be-
yond expression! The Government. both
State and National, has been the great bull
wark of this gigantic crime-producing
business, making legal that which is
morally wrong, and this the most terrible
of all wrongs. To mislead the politicians
cry out against definite political action,
saying: "You cannot make men sober by
laws But what are the facts to which
this senseless cry is intended to blind us;
viz, that all laws are more or less viola
ted. While the law against stealing is
not an absolute success, yet people pre-
fer to prevent stealing By all possible en-
actments against it. The law does prevent
stealing, therefore people are practically
made honest by law.
Were there no legalized drink.shops,
there would be fewer drunkards, and the
consequent pauperism and crime common
to-day would be greatly diminished. The
earnings of millions who 90 down to deg
relation and death by means of this vice
would pay many times the revenue re-
quired to carry on the Government. and
the labor question would be solved In the
elevation and prosperity Of the people.
Truly there is no greater crime, no greater
treason to the country, or any treacherJ
go dangerous to ne beat interest OF soci.
ETY., as the sanct.. If the destructive"
liquor traffic.
The evils Of this traffic are 30 general
and the consequences 80 terrible, that it
merits the strongest condemnation, and
should be resisted with all this Intensity Of
our patriotism and honest indignation as
an outrage on our common sense, our
common manhood and our common inter.
est.
The. traffic in alluring alcoholic poison
in the form Of whiskey, brandy, wine,
beer, etc, furnishes sure method for
flooding the country with crime, disease.
misery. insanity and pauperism. 1t dig
mites crime with a legal sanction: it per-
petuates the sale of 40 alluring poison that
debauches the people; it offers nonop-
oily to the rich to allure the poor to their
ruin; 1t paralyzes conscience and destroys
the moral sense; it blights tho influence Of
the Christian Church and demoralizes the
community with all sorts of evil and dis
grace. u ho is responsible for this out
rage upon the people? All the benefits of
education, all the good in our homes, all
the obligations OF patriotism, all the Sane
tions of morality, and ell the claims Of re-
ligion join in condemnation of the liquor
traffic as the worst enemy of mankind-a
obstructive, deyilish traffic." and any
license or sanction Of this diabolical busi-
ness is among the worst crimes in the an
mails OF human depravity, aud any legal
sanction or license makes Its votaries ac-
cessory before the fact to ali the crimes
committed through this authority.
The magnitude Of the liquor traffic
seems to be little understood by the great
masses of our people. A glance at few
pages of sour Country" will be sufficient
TO convince every thinking mind of its
gigantic proportions. According to the
report of the Commissioners Of Internal
Revenue for 1883, there were then in the
United States 97G liquor dealers and
manufacturers. Their saloons, says DR..
Strong, allowing twenty feet front to each,
would reach in an unbroken line from
Chicago to New York. There is invested
in this business an immense capital. The
North American Repiew estimates 1t at
81, 900 OeOO,000 which is very moderate if
Joseph Cooks statement ia correct, that
tht re are $75, 900, 900 engaged in this traffic
in the city of Boston. In an address in
the House of Representatives, In favor Of
the Bonded Whiskey Bill, Hon. P. V.
Denster, of Wisconsin, member Of Con-
gress, and special champion OF the liquor
dealers, said that the total market value of
the spirituous, malt and vinous liquors In
1888 was $3.50. .961, ,58S. According to the
census the capital invested in their manu-
facture was, in 1880, $l3s. o5l ,26O. It is
generally estimated that the annual
liquor bill of the nation Is $500, 600, 900.
So great wealth in the hand Of one class,
having common interest and common
purpose, is mighty power. That this
power exerts a salient and hurtful influ-
ence over our Government, no one will
deny. Their success at Washington a few
years since in securing legislation which
granted to whiskey makers peculiar priv
ileges, accorded to no other taxpayers, is
sufficient evidence Of their power. What
is true of the traffic in the United States,
and its influence upon the National Gov
ernment, is true of the separate States in
the same ratio. And South Carolina has