The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-04-14

cease b. NO.
Why?
Because that is only knocking the
weed down; you have neglected to pull
the root out.
But where is the root of crime?
According to phrenology, it is in the
criminal. But if we go by statistics,
crime does not grow up in man nat
urally, since it does not cease at the
arrest of the criminal, but continues
like the On-rushing stream from which
you have taken pail of water; it
shows no effect or inclination of eak
ening its course.
The one great and main root of
wrong is this: Mans most deadly foe
and tempter is today upheld by a sup
posedly Christian and intelligent peo-
pie. That foe is liquor.
Speaking from observation and expe-
rience l believe that ninety-ni per
cent of the crimes committed can be
traced to the door of liquor. 1t is true
that idleness has a great deal to do
with crime and no doubt, luXuries also
are one of the premiums that promote
crime. But these are mere theories or
suggestions, that is, they don't point
out the root of evil
To 60 back to the liquor question,
there is no use trying to blind ourselves
to the fact that strong drink is not the
root of all evil. 1t is the destroyer of
reason, home and happiness; the no.
bier of mans greatest treasures, the
SOUL
1t is said that wine is a mOcker
Yes, and so is he who upholds it; nay,
he is more than that; he is all accom-
plice to one of the greatest crimes on
the calendar of God and man. Like
the common thief he shares the spoils,
he sits complacently at his fireside and
sees family after family all about him
being consumed to ruin in the damna-
BILE cup which he upholds. He places
at premium, perpetual and excruci-
ating torments, and lastly the welcome
grave, as the victims call it,; as it re-
leases them from their wretched exis-
tence.
Do men realize what this liquor is
doing for the community? l hardly
think it, If they are as purported to be
civilized beings.
Those who uphold liquor, when ap-
preached on the subject, eXclaim: {:
"Why, if it is hurtful to man he has no
business to drink it," Neither has man
any business to encourage it. Again
he remarks, "We try to abolish it by
taxation; we are doing all we can to do
away with it," Yes, doing all but the
right thing.
You might as we'll set tax on thiev-
cry as on liquor; there would be just as
much sense in it. There is no use try
ing to excuse ourselves in any way; in
a majority of cases it is the root of
crime. Do away with it and you do
away with almshouses, asylums and
decrease prison population; idleness
Will also disappear.
Some will say: eff you take liquor
out of a town you kill it's business. y
Better kill the business than destroy
the people.
One thing is certain; money will
never abolish liquor nor will building
prisons abolish crime. Prisons are nec-
essary and will be as long as crime
will stay upon this earth; as long as
men will support its root, liquor.
True reformation can never be COM
plete until men learn to make an indi-
vidual effort and vote for the right
kind of government. TO abolish de-
mon drink, this robber of all manhood,
must be done by unanimous vote
against it; then will the threads of
character and principle form them
selves into one strong and binding
cord which will not be broken by any
imaginary ills. Let every man be
San active doer, noble liver;
Strong to labor, sure to conquer"
That is what is wanted to secure ref
Ormation. j. F. d.