Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-02-08
WHAT TO DO Win THE SALOON.
FouRrH ARTICLE.

dCtcl WHICH, Aulgut rEeFcub TIC AOoANN
| ton of the beneficient results aimed at
in the ownership of the saloons by d
temperance company. 1t was an at
tempt to determine beforehand what
would be the outcome of such an enter
prise. No prudent man ventures upon
an undertaking without first carefully
considering the possibilities of success
and of failure. The difficulties that
can be foreseen do not seem to be suffi-
Gent to bar the enterprise or thwart the
end aimed at.
This article will consider some dd-
Uaratage Of such system. As stated in
the second article, one of the purposes
of this plan is TO eliminate the element
of greed behind the bar. The advant-
age here is two fold:
l. 1t deprives greed of bis gain.
2. 1t destroys his interest in the
saloon.
| l. As to the gain. There are many
indications that the profits are abnor-
mally large. In many villages the
saloons are about equal to all the other
places of business. Many men, whose
means are known to be slender, enter
the business and presently make an out
ward show of abundance. They live
in luxury, build elegant homes, pur-
chase city property and buy themselves
farms. Whether this wealth has all
been obtsined through the legal chan
nels of the business cannot be known,
for the traffic is carried on behind
screens, both literally and figuratively,
and if mans conscience will suffer
him to make profits out of such bust
ness, it will make no serious protest
against outright robbery. But after
making all due allowance for what may
be obtained by foul means, the profits
are still uuquestionably large. The
Gothenburg Co. cannot be accused of
obtaining any of its profits by the prac.
eiSO " h1uu VI W VIC ShVItcl anu pau
ronage which it extends to gambling
and vice, and they report capital stock
of S27, 40 and an annual yield in pro-
fits of 100000; that is, every dollar in
vested in the business returns seven dol
lars at the end of the year. So great
were the profits that not cent of the
original capital stock was called for
until nearly ten years after the forma-
ton of the company, and was only ten-
dored then because the law required
that it should be paid in within ten
years. All outward appearances testify
to like profits in this country and no
unhkenesses between the two countries
can be pointed out as respects the liquor
traffic which would make it appear that,
although the profits there are enormous,
they must be very small here.
The temptation to men to enter the
business is strong because the gains are
large. Whether they are able to resist
the temptation or not depends upon the
relative strength of their avarice and
their conscience. When avarice is the
stronger it over rides conscience to OBJ
tain the prize which it sees in the rum
trade. Many man, who might be an
honorable man but for this temptation,
becomes conscienceless saloon-keeper.
Once in the business he is almost hope
lessly beyond the reach of saving influ-
ence. He has surrendered his social
standing; he has stepped down out OF
society into the saloon; public senti-
ment regards the business as disreput-
able and shuns the man engaged in it.
To regain his position in society is
not easy after he has given up his bust
ness. Moreover there is an irreconcil-
able conflict between his business and
his conscience. Every appeal, there
fore, which is made to his moral judg-
ment must be shut out Hehad 20 sup
press the qualms of conscience to enter
the business, and he must keep them
suppressed in order to remain in the
business, and the longer they are sup.
pressed the weaker they become There
is little chance, therefore. to awaken his
moral convictions until he is separated
from his business; the business and
morals are Incompatible; the business
has covered up the conscience and made
it inaccessible; it stands above it and
combats and bars out every appeal A
company then should take the saloons
for the sake of these men who by reason
of their avarice are not able to resist
the temptation to become rum sellers,
and consequently to put themselves be-
yond the pale of redeeming influences.
No man can rise higher than his bust
ness. A saloon is stone hanged about
the keepers neck that holds him in the