The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-06-18
w. CT. U. COLUMN N
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. l.. HOBBS,
More on the Liquor Traffic.


with the attribute of reason, reputet
to possess practical common sense
perhaps called great statesmen anc
politicians, cannot realize the truth
that the expenditure of twelve hun
dred millions OF dollars every yea
in our country for intoxicating Ii
quors, has much, very much To dc
with causing hard times, high taxes
and the scarcity of money in oul
country. Let the twelve hundred
millions of dollars, much worse thar
thrown away during each twelve
months, be spent for the substantial
necessaries and comforts of life, OF
be employed in truly commendabl'
branches of trade and there woulC
not be so great occasion to complain
of hard times.
The Liquor Traffic is one of the
chief causes of the difficulties be-
tween Labor and Capital. A strike
among laborers in our large manu-
featuring districts, towns and cities,
is doubtless often encouraged by
saloon keepers for the sole purpose
of obtaining immediate possession
of their latest earnings. Then
while these men are thus unem-
lployed spending their time and
money in the saloons, becoming in
toxicated and excited in conversa-
tion with each other in regard to
the real or imaginary wrongs of their
employers, a spirit of reckless an
archy is frequently engendered that
often leads to the destruction of life
and property.
The tendency of the Liquor Traf-
fic is anarchy 1t bids defiance to
law AS evidence, witness the
dynamite outrages at Muscatine,
Iowa-the burning of barns and
churches-the numerous cold blood
ed murders that have been com
mitted upon men for prosecuting
violations of the liquor law. Wit
ness the Hay Market riots of Chi
cago a few years ago. There it is
said that the Anarchists held their
meetings in saloons. 1t was in
these places that the passions of
laboring men therein assembled,
were wrought up 10 the highest pitch
of excitement by the infiammatory
harangues of Anarchistic lecturers
who never did days work of hon
est toll in their lives. 1t was in
those places that their schemes of
Internal devilment were plotted.
1t is strange that people, such
as we are, claimed to be governed
by the ennobling principles of
Christian civilization, should either
or indirectly consent to leg
alize, by system of taxation or Ii
cense, the traffic in an intoxicating
poison, the nature of which from
It's use, as beverage, is to create
an appetite almost ungovernable, to
dethrone reason, to intlame the
vilest passions of mans nature, to
make him a brute and to utterly de-
stroy the will power to overcome the
temptation to drink whenever in
toxicants can be obtained. A traffic
hat fills the land with paupers and
thieving tramps, wander
and driveling idiots
Then, the prevalence of drinking
habits and drunkenness being the
legitimate result of the LiquorTraflic
as the chief cause, it is most as
true that the traffic is a
rhine against society; and that it
ought to be SO declared by the con-
and statutory laws Of the
State and National government,
'ught to lie outlawed, made odious
n public estimation, made a penal
'ffence, and punished the same as
highway robbery and ,
nurder Can that be done? 1t can |
'e done; but it can be done only by |
combination ofthose who are truly ,
nd earnestly in favor of it-those
Tho regard this issue, with other Q
nuch needed reforms, as towering q
ar above all other issues in the field
{ politics; or in other words, be-
ause the Liquor Traffic has been
nd is still legitimate subject of
sgislation, and because the Prohi- {
ition of the Liquor Traffic is truly
political question, requiring a po-
Itical party to secure its enactment ,
nd enforcement, it can be done on
by a political party organized for !
his special purpose "a political I,
arty large enough and strong
nough to obtain the entire control :
I the legislative, judicial and exc !
utive depart ments of the govern !
nent. Moral suasion, and temper
nee education have accomplished
nuch good. They are still doing
ood. They ought not to be !