Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-29

handling OF matches and leaving them
In exposed places, where they may be-
come ignited. causes many hres IN
which much valuable property 10 dis
troyad and many lives lost. The fire.
quency OF these fires Increases the risk
OF Insurance companies and raises the
price or fire insurance. lnnumerable
instances could be given. Take the
burning OF the Spring Palace I'm Fort
Worth. This resulted from the care
less dropping of a single match on the
floor. 1t was ignited by being stepped
upon. The beautiful Spring Palace, the
pride OF Fort Worth, was destroyed.
Thousands OF people were thrown into
n state of mortal terror. The unspenk-
aole horrors OF that night can never
be portrayed. HusbandB and wives,
children and parents, who had become
separated in the panic, were running
around seeking each other with loud
cries and lamentations. Numbers OF
people received injuries that they will
carry 10 their graves one poor fell
low was burned TO death. AS each Vic
tim would be brought out upon a litter,
the hearts OF all the spectators would
stand still with fear. lest II might
prove to be some loved one OF their
own. Consider the Chicago FIRE. II
resulted directly from the use Of oil.
Millions OF dollars worth Of property
were destroyed Thousands upon
thousands OF poor and helpless moth
era and children were left destitute
and homeless-language cannot de-
scribe the physical pain and mental
anguish of that occasion, to say moth
ing of the lives lost. All came from
one lamp Of oil. Numbers of servant
girls are burned 90 death each year
trying 10 start fires with oil
These illustrations could be multi
Piled indefinitely. The prohibition ora
Tor could wax eloquent when speaking
Of the loss suffering and woe that re-
Teults from the use OF matches and OIL
The most touching scenes could be
portrayed, the most pathetic stories
could be told, and while his audience
was melted into tears, he could In true
local option style denuunce all who I'D
not agree with him as low down. in
fernal, bandy-shankcd hypocrites, un-
1T for association with anything hut
skunks on earth and sure to land in
hell in the world to come. He would
say all of the time that he was not
trying to Interfere with the right Of the
people to use oil and matches. but was
only trying to prohibit their sale.
Go n step further. Take free speech:
consider how much trouble II has
caused. how ii has alienated friends
and broken up families; how it has cast
suspicion upon virtue and destroyed
regulations: how II has taught treason
and preached heresy: how II his in
cited riots ana caused wars how It
has baptized old Mother Earth In fire,
and In blood. To be consistent our To-
cal option friends should try to prohibit
free speech II they are going to carry
their principles 10 their logical results
they viii have to prohibit about every
thing thut now eSists
They claim that nearly all OF the
crimes ana suffering OF mankind starts
In the saloon and can be traced to the
saloon. The Bible does not sustain this
contention. jeremiah. nth chapter, 9th
verse, says; The heart Is deceitful
above all things and desperately wick
ed; who can know H.?
Christ said to his disciples: Are We
so without understanding also2 Do
We not perceive that whatsoever thing
from without entereth into the man il
cannot deiile him. because 1t entereth
not Into his heart but In his belly, aud
goeth out I'm the draught, purging ali
meats And He said That which
cometh out of the man. that rehleth
the man, FOR within, out of the heart OF
men proceed evil Observation-Disclosures
fOrnicntlOns, murders, thefts, covetuus-
ness, wlckeduess, deceit. lasciViousness.
an evil eye, blasphemy. pride, foolish
ness.'--SL Mark, :, ~ to 90. As the
human heart and not the saloon IL the
source Of all evil. our local option
friends, to be consistent, should strike
directly AT the root OF the matter md
attempt TO prohibit the further propa-
CATION Of the human race IL this did
not interfere with them II 1t involved
nothing moro ON their part than an at
tempt to dictate TO others-they might
attempt IT.