The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-02-10
rHr Btnrr or rRn4rING.


The presiding officer OF the Ohio
Liquor league has aroused storm OF
Indignation by remarks uttered by
him in calling the league to order. In
this remarkable speech he said:
1T will appear from these facts,
gentlemen, that the success Of our
business is dependent largely upon the
creation OF appetite for drink. Men
who drink liquor, like Others, will die,
aud Il there is no new appetite created
our counters will be empty as will bo
our &C ffers Oar children will go hun
CRY or we must change our business to
that OF some other moro rsnumerative
The open field for the creation Of this
appetite Is among the boys. After men
have grown and their habits are
formed they rarely, II ever, change in
thisregard. 1t will be needful, there
fore, that missionary work be done
among the boys, and | MAKE the suR-
gestion, gentlemen, that nickels ex-
pended in treats 10 the boys now will
return in dollars to your tills after the
appetite has been formed. Above all
thing, create appetite
This has provoked general newspa-
per comment 1t is probable that the
orator was irresponsible at the time he
gave utterance to these absurd re-
marks, and IL is not surprising TO learn
that the sentiments were vigorously
condemned by other liqler dealers.
1t is probably true that no one has less
use for an intoxicated man than bar
tender. And a great many men who
Abhor the liquor trafli; hAvs considera-
bly, more patieucs with helpless vic
tim Of rum than has the average man
who obtains his living by the sale Of
intoxicants. The successful liqlo
merchant seldom patron his own
s1ar-Rnd- certain the intelligent enc
would not care 10 give In iorsement TO |
a policy that Ss as likely 10 ensnlre hi,
own son as IL is to 10 de mage TO other
mems sons. But however the senti-
menls expressed by the Ohio ''orator'
may have been received o. his audi
tors. 1t is gratifying to know that the
presa OF the coun r. is paying atlen-
tion TO these ntterances the proper
spirit. The man who would propo se
TO scuttle a ship is a saint compared to
the man who would deliberately sug-
gest that "the open field for the crea
tion OF this appetite is among the
boys" A more monstrous suggestion
was never made. II 1t should ever be
generally believed that the liquor
dealer went In seAreh OF victims, ststu-
tory prohibition would be so strongly |
Endorsed that prohibition" would be
made to prohibit. There are already |
sufficiently strong Influences at work
for which people who do not sell liquor
are largely responsibls-whieh tend TO
create the eppssite among the boys Of
the land. The practice OF "treat- |
ing" Is largely responsible for the
creation II appetite, as IL is also
largely responsible for the fact that
many men become victims 10 their
appetite. The absurd declarations by
the Ohio liquor dealer are worthy Of
being impressed upon the public, be
cause they suggest a duty that men Of
blood and brain may take upon them
selves to discharge. ltevery man who
has learned that the thiug "oites like
a serpen. aud stings like an adder"
viii resolve never to invite or permit
young man 10 j1in HIN in drink, that
man will have diseharged the duty to
one generation which he failed to dis.
charge for his own generation. The
man who distributes tracts cannot Ac
! complish near so mu.h in the cause Of
temperance as the man who, having
reAlizFa the injury strong drink has
. done and is capable Of doing, resolves
4 to abstain from the ab5minAble Ameri-
can habit known as Treating
The suggestion made by tho Ohio
person may be the means OF direci lg
attention 70 the fathers Of the country
that they owe duty 10 their own sons
which they may Ia part discharge by
doing their duty 10 Other men's sons
q There Is "missionary work to be
done Among the boys" but the held
must not be oocupiei By lunatics or
1ends OF this Ohio stripe The fathers
Of the country can occupy the a I'D ex-
clusively. They viii occupy the field
successfully when they aid ia the de-
structon OF the Treating" habit and
discourage "tae aPpet te" among other
mems sons.