The record-union., 1894-08-06
An Awful Picture.

An Awful Picture.
EDS RECORD UNION: If our City
Trustees should deliberately tax the peo-
pie of our city and pay Dig salaries for
few men to pull down scores of our finest
buildings, utterly ruin them for use, and
leave them unsightly wrecks to offend
daily the public eye, would not the peo-
pie rise en- masse and denounce the out
rage as diaboIical, and speedily bring the
offenders to justice? Words could not
express the rage and Indignation felt that
any turning or twisting OF the law should
allow few to make for themselves for
tunes by wholesale destruction OF ma
terial property. Yet how does the fair
promise OF one beautiful young manhood
compare with the usefulness oil any build
ing ever yet planned? AS city is not
our supineneSS amazing?
Has not familiarity with the weekly
granting of licenses made US wonderfully
indifferent? Is there not one spark of
local pride or ambition left in our voters?
Week after week, by issuing license, the
number is increased of those who be-
come rich from what they are pleased to
call Legitimate" business. That our
voters make it legitimate is the only
thing that gives it the least shadow Of de-
cency. 1t is only evil and that contlnu-
ally. Its aim is far worse than the whole
sale destruction of property, for as GER
tain as the fact that death will overtake
US all, so surely will the beer habit fas-
tened on a young man work his utter
ruin. Sooner or later it will leave him
stranded wreck, his friends gone, his
beautiful young manhood an lnestlma-
BILE loss to the community, his possible
ties for good all passed away and his
presence repulsive to the public eye.
These licenses are given to people too
lazx f.o, hoy hat
day after day, the nickels and dimes that
belong to the home-that should bring
more rest to the tired heart-sick mother,
more comforts to little children. And
what is the result? Stand with me
moment and gaze on an object clinglng
for support to a corner building. The
swinging doors near at hand on either
side do not invite his company now,
for he has no money left, and it is only
when they have his last penny that he is
not wanted. Look closely and you will
find he has not seen twenty summers,
although at first glance he seemed old,
so soon does dissipation leave it's trace on
| the innocent face. His clothing fits him
SO badly you know it was never fashioned
for him, and by his filth and rags you
know he is beyond caring for decency.
But once he was fair to see-tbe pet and
pride of fond parents. To the happy
mother the skies never seemed so fair as
when reflected in the bright blue of her
baby's eyes. In his boy the father saw
great possibilities. Only score of years
have passed and his ruin is complete.
For years the father and mother have
been laid away to their last rest. While
the boy was at his mothers side he
learned no evil-true mothers do not
teach their children vice; home influence
was good. The boy was as clay in his
mothers hands; she could mold him as
! she would. while she could. So little
later on was he clay in the hands of those
who daily look out for recruits to their
ranks, and they have done their best and
hung MIN on the street corner, SAM
ple' Of the work done within.
And now, what can we say when
woman, the mother of children, comes
| ard asks us to mold young men, and per-
haps young women, in this degrading
business? Let her read, if she will, the
history OF one OF the many unhappy
homes cursed and blighted by the
liquor traffic becoming daily more and
more common. Let her sit down by one
broken hearted mother, as she waits and
listens far into the night for the step that
used to come so early and bring only Joy
and comfort. Let her, ii she be capable,
| feel for one moment the pail of blackness
that has closed over her, shutting out all
! other hurts, because she sees dear life
| ruined and high hopes laid low, because
wrong-doing is made so easy through
ordinances so thoughtlessly made against
which she cannot raise her voice and over
which she has no control.
| Surely no woman will take up this
work who has considered we'll, for as we
sow so shall we reap, and retribution
will as surely follow sin as the night fol-
lows day. There never was saloon that
did not break some heart, crush out some
hope, ruin some life. Surely no woman
will bring sorrow to another, for women
| have no redress NJ. e. II.