The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-11-20

Stealing Is prohibited by law, hence
there is no distinction between the hon.
est man and the thief. Therefore the
law should be repealed. Murder is
prohibited by law, hence there is no
distinctions; any man may be designated
a murderer at heart. the law prevent
ing him from being one in fact, there
fore the law against murder should be
repealed. Indeed should his doctrine
obtain, all laws against crime must be
repealed and society be reconstructed.
However there is no prohibitory law
that would make such ''mess of it" as
the licensed saloon. The assumption
that temptation in the shape of a sa-
loon is necessary TO develop character
and virtue, and give men self reliance
and individuality, would be amusing
were the subject less serious.
In their anxiety to shield this iniqui-
tous business from the public gaze and
condemnation, men permit their imag-
nations to drive them into all manner
of absurdities, and paint fearful ogres
with which to frighten the public away
from the consideration of this question.
In the same issue, editorial page, Bird
column, is an article entitled "Intoxica-
tion," which, by the way, is remarka-
Bile production, its slur upon the masses
considered, coming as it does from one
who holds office by virtue of the fran
chise of the same masses. In the 2nd
paragraph Of this astonishing article he
seems to assume that liquor is beneficial
to at least a portion of the race; and a
portion that is distinct from the drink
ing class. He addresses the drinker
thus: "Shall all mankind be treated as
infants because you are a fool? Shall
the individual be sacrificed to the
masses and the race permanently weak
ened? Because you cannot ascend to
the plain Of manhood, shall all be pulled
down TO your level?" He advises the
drinker to ''quit drinking" The class
for whose manhood he is pleading Is
evidently not the drinking class, but
the non-drinking. Permit me as one OF
that class to say that his concern is en-
tirely unnecessary. We do not at all
feel that the removal OF the liquor traf-
fic would wipe out our self-reliance or in
dividuality. In the last paragraph is a
wall for the splendid Apostles of tenn
perance" of the John Gotf, Francis MUIR
ply type. We vie with this editor in
doing honor to those men who did so
much to rescue drunkards from their
wretchedness, but they dealt only with
the product of drunkenness, leaving its
source untouched. Pledges signed do
not remove the saloon, and any system
or campaign against intoxication that
leaves the saloon hourishing is fail
ure.
1t is taken for granted that men who
are addicted to the drink habit are
fools. moral towards, lacking in manli-
ness, ETC., and an occasional man is
found who, having conquered his appe-
tite, is seized upon by the saloons
apologies as an example, and all drink
ers are hidden ''go thou and do like
WISE" We have no criticism to offer |
here, except that calling the drunkard |
hard names does not abolish drunken |
ness. All men. however, do not have |
the same advantage in the battle field
OF morals. Man is, in no small meas
ure, the result of heredity plus his early |
environment. The appetite for intoxi- |
eating liquor is transmitted from parent
to offspring 1t is further fed and cul-
tivated by contact with it in early |
childhood. The wholesale liquor houses
have their agents visiting houses TAX
ing orders, the delivery wagon follows
close upon their heels dropping off
keg of beer here, quart, half gallon or
gallon OF spirits there; and homes be-
come periodical scenes of debauchery.
obscenity and crime. The children OF
such, parents, reared in such homes,
enter the active sphere of mature years
morally handicapped The battle was
fought out in childhood and liquor was
the victor. Would we ask children to
fight mems battles, or perform labors
intended for those of mature years?
Shall we place children in the arena
face to face with a foe before whom few
men can stand, and when they fail and
become mature inebriates, sneer at
them as lacking manhood?
The minister from Fredonia above |
quoted says there is no reformatory mea-
sure about prohibition. Certainly not.
1t is preventive measure, which is as
much more to the point, as prevention
is better than cure" | presume he |
fears loss OF occupation should Prohi-
bition prevail. II he were a physician |
he would oppose sanitary legislation on
the ground that there would be no cur
ative feature about it. Permit the cess