The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-11


it not also true that rum has it's grip
upon the very throat of the nation, that
it has bought out the conscience of the
politician, that it has bound the great
political parties, mind and conscience
purse and office, to its Juggernaut?
Thus we see how the drink traffic per-
verts the appetites and passions of men
and then intrenches itself in these per-
verted passions and appetites. We see
how this traffic intrenches itself in mems
greed for making money easily and
abundantly, and without rendering any
proper equivalent for it. We see how
it intrenches itself in the partisan and
political ambitions, and moral weakness
and cowardice of men.
We are not now suggesting methods.
But, if we would save men, save society,
save civilization.-if we would destroy
the evil and enthrone the good, shall we
not find some way or many ways in
which we can unite to destroy this
three-headed and many -fanged monster.
out OF which proceeds a continual and
mighty stream of corruption, misery and
death?
We believe that every solid business
interest of every community, and of the
entire country. would be promoted. and
Immensely advanced, by the total de.
struction OF the traffic in every kind of
alcoholic drinks. We believe that DO
litical purity political welfare. political
justice, would be vastly promoted by
this destruction,-t that much would
therefore be done to redeem politics and
politicians from the moral slime of cor.
ruption. selfshness and vulgar ambi-
tion in which they are now welteripg.
and In which they will continue to soak
themselves as long as the saloon exists.
Since the city or State creates the ga.
loon by law, what is the saloon essen
tiaily but State or corporate institu-
tion! And for all the evils which il
creates and nourishes, who is originally
and supremely responsible but the State
and the city. and every individual Of the
state or city who has given his approval
or ms vote to thees things, or to the men
who have legislated them into existence?
What right, then, have we to complain
that there is an abundance of fraud and
corruption in politics? Is it not the very
thing we have bargained for, provided
for, voted for?
Most manufacturers and some retail
ers get rich at this business, but never
except at the expense of robbing others
OF reducing multitude to poverty
and misery. 1t only impoverishes. dam
ages and degrades all to whom it minis
ters.
A legitimate business ought not only
to improve the condition of those who
conduct it. but should promote the per.
sonal welfare of all these to whom ii
ministers. But nearly all evils gravitate
toward the saloon and all forms of vice.
crime and corruption, and all forms of
evil, misery and degradation, are con-
stantly produced by it in abundant
measure and corrupt the entire stream
Of human society.
A successful attempt to eliminate the
money making element from the traffic.
might destroy the traffic. That would
be an indirect or disguised method of
prohibition.
We contend here and now for no speci-
tic method. We simply say,-Destroy the
traffic by some method, or methods, or
the traffic will continue to be the largest
factor in promoting political corruption
and human misery and degradation in
vast degree and of every conceivable
kind.
Chicago has seven or eight thousand
OF these schools of corruption, vice and
crime, holding daily sessions from early
morning far into the night-giving more
hours of diligent attention to their busi-
ness than almost any other interest that
can be named. They are as constant
and watchful as the three-headed mon
ster Cerberus at the gates of hell.
AS long as these institutions are per-
mitted to exist the influence of the Civic
Federation in arresting their corruptipg
power will be about as successful as
Mother Partington's attempt to dip the
Atlantic Ocean dry with goose quill.
So far as good government in our cities
is concerned, there is no more damnable
nonsense than the contention that a
democrat is better than republican, or
a republican better than democrat, or
either party better than the other. The
fact is, either party must and will have
the saloon; cannot do without it; will
do all in it's power to retain the saloon
and all that it stands for in our vile city
politics. Party ought to be totally set
aside in our city government and CITY
politics, and men nominated purely
on the basis of manhood and business
qualifications. But in this thing the old
and strongly organized parties, and prob
ably most, if not all of the newspapers.
are against us.
There are enough good men among
democrats and among republicans and
among men who are of neither party TO
make strong and incorruptible city