The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-09-26
Lby Henry D. Kepleyl

tAmllFs ana now ltA opposite
them
IN 40 respect "a the saloon Of any
use OF benefit TO the farmer. but on the
eon'Iaiy. q Is In all respects a deiri-
mehi TO him The claim sometimes
made that the money received Tor sa-
ICON license lnures 20 the benefit Of the
iaf'nei by lessenlng hls taxes. L. a de-
iln. The saloon. even with its H.
eehse'money-hribe. instead Of lessan-
ing TIE farmers taxes. increases them.
heaidea. saloon license money Is blood
money knowingly received at the cost
OF ruined lives. broken hearts. wrecked
FORTUNES bllghted hopes. and whoever
consents 10 receive 10 as a means of
leasening his or her taxes. or with the
hope OF other benefit. accepts Il a.
hrlbe from the saloon demon. and Will
not cannot while God rcigns. be prof
tied thereby.
Even n the saloon license money. IN
any case, Is a benefit a. source OF
public revenue. which IL not admitted
but on the contrary Tor many good and
Vell-founded reasons u denied. yet no
part OF such benefit can lnure 20 the
farmer the countryman- or his fam
ny. The saloons are almost exclusive
" In the cities and Villages. and the
license money In nearly an cases. goes
wholly 10 the city or village 10 which
me saloon L. located and not into the
county or state treasury. and conse-
quenily In no way lessons the taxes Of
TIE farmer residing outside Of the city
OF Village. nor IN any way whatever
benefits him.
y b. an established fact that much
ths greater part OF the taxes paid by
the tanner ia caused by the saloon. and
sae drink habit fosiercd therein and
nAr-'Nit-0u, doubt. more than
three sourihs Of The crime and pauper-
ism results from the saloon and iis de-
hasing Influences. consequently. the ex-
psnss Of maintaining penal instltu-
lions. such a. iails. peniteniiarlss and
the like. ia greatly increased by the
saloon without the saloon and the
vice and crime thereby Induced. the
number. capacity and expense Of such
Institutions could be- greatly reduced
and the farmers taxes corresponding.
iy le.aened
while the saloon does the farmer
much harm and adds greatly 20 his
burdens. h does not. cannot. Do him
any eond Not one farmer IN all this
land. q h safe 20 say. Ia the least de-
gree owes his success to the saloon
or its influences. while on the other
hand the ruin, financially physically
mentally. morally OF multiplied thou
sands Of farmers. ls iustly and unmlS
takahly attributable 10 the saloon. he
temptations and blightlng influences
The saloon. with all iis dehaslng al
iurements. stands 10 the pathway Of
the farmer. stands between him and his
family: between him and his home: be.
tween him and the church: between
htn and God. and leads him. yea.
drags him down TO ruin.
In autumn. the farmer and his wife
constitute themselves a committee OF
WAYS and means 10 consider what can
ne realized from the proceeds Of the
farm After that has been determined
thsv confer together as a committee on
anpropriailou and formulate an appro-
prla,lop bill. containing only items
,sesssary TO be provided Tor by the
nnny yet. covering every dollar
vh,,h can be provided by the family
vavs and means committee, Hut soon
49,, this the tax collector comes. In
"A. llst OF taxes demanded there IL the
nem OF poor tax" for the support Of
saloon.made paupsrs; also items GOV.
.rlps the expense Of combining In jalls
.ra penltentiaries the criminal prod
,r,s Of the saloons. In fact. the "a.
loon has caused the amount OF taxes
aemanded 10 BE- tour times greatsr than
n would have been had there been nc
saloon. This increase Of the amount
demanded Tor taxes forces a revision
az the family appropriation bin. and
me Elimination thercfrom Of items In.
dlsponsably requisite TO the comfort Of
the farmer and his family. To that ex.
tenf and In that way the saloon de,
nrlees the farmer and his family Of
he nccessarlea Of life
This A but one Of the many WAYS IN
which the saloon lniuriously affects
me farmer. even when he Is q total ab
nalner
hui In almost lunumerahle Instance
ne farmer Is not a total abstalner. bui
slelds TO temptation and sQuanders II
ihe saloon the money 80, apart by thl
family ways and means committee Z,
eroylde Tor the family necessities, re
mltlnr in restitution and suffering Il
~ nome Not lnfreQuently the farm
- IN the saloon. swallows the hos h
brought TO town to sell for money viii
whleb TO buy shoes for his chlldFsu
consequently the children must q
harefoo,od when winter comes.
The remedy for the evils resulting
the saloons IL prohibition; q
nroylde By law that the saloon shall
-, he permi,led 10 exist. but that
sesu M banlshed from every city AM
.'Ilare. from the whole land. Ever