Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-03-10
VIC. 7. U...COLUNN.
The Financial Argument.

We grow sick 10 our lnmOst soul with
what is called "thc financial argument
for licensing the saloon. If there is
anything which ought TO make the
blood of even "a half civilized human
being boil with holy anger, it is the
cool atrocity of these who advocate
license laws because Of the money IA
saloon tax puts in he public treasury.
One would suppose that creatures who
haye been raised in Christendom and
who might be thought to nave uncon-
s,iously absorbed AZ least a slight tine
ture If Christianity would be ashamed
to urge an argument III favor of the
saloon that ought to make a moderately
respectable devil blush. 1t would be-
Incredible 10 us, die Lot we daily hear
Of il, that beings who should possess
such sentiments Is mercy and love for
their fellow men, Will deliberately re-
solve upon raising the revenue to run
their town 10y robbing little children OF
food and clothing, by running the lives
aud breaking the hearts of wives who
have been SO unfortunate rs to Ec tied
to drunkardS, and by damniDg for time
and eternity the poor victims Of the APP
petite for strong drink One would
naturally suppose that human beings,
raised under the light of Christianity.
some of them even protesting TO he
Christians. would have compassion up
on the inebIiate's family, and refuse 10
make gain at its expense. a heart Of
neither milestone ought to melt at the
woes Of those who live in the drunkard's
home; q demon ought to be ashamed TO
take advantage Of husband and
fathers weakness and sin to rob his
innocent offspring Of the ncccssarics OF
lie.
Does anyone favorable to license
think this is to severe Go, as wc have
done, aud look at the children whom
their father begGars to spend money in
your licensed saloon. See their rags,
mark their half-staryed little bodies,
pathetic in their meager want, See
their tiny. bloodlcss baby hands
stretched out to you for pity, and mark
the patient pathos of their hungry eyes
tina. beg for bread. Think how they
never know an unclouded hour. how
the shame of icing a drunkard's ctIld
dalkens all their spirit, and hangs ever
like a pail above them. They want for
schooling, they want for clothing and
fire, they want for fathers shelteriu4
love, they want for all that makes
childhood happy and blessed. And
talk, As we have, with the drunkard'S
wife; hear her tell
"Of weary days that come and 90,
Long nights that pass away IN tears,
OF heavy clouds. hung dark and low
Ger all the sorrow-burdened years.
Think of her disappointed hopes IN
the man to whom she gave her young
lite in keeping, of her long hcartache,
and all the living hell in which she
daily lives. Think Ct the poor drink
bedeviled wretch himself, for whose
wandering, uncertain feet, YOU set
your cruel snares. And you have the
internal disposition to deliberately 90
to work to make money out of this
wretchedness and woe. Severe? If
ever IA creature merited the emptying
Of all the vitals of wrath in David's
imprecatory psalms upon his cruel
head at once, that creature is you. If
we could use the words that cut and
sting like twisted whips of scorpions,
If we could frame sentences that
scorched like blue vtriol wherever
they touched, we would use them if we
could blister your satanic soul.
"The financial argument for the
siloon: We can help meet our town
expenses by it; we can Keep a little
more money in our pockets from the
taxgatherer by extorting it from the
unwilling, ragged, starving inmates of
tho ''runkard's home"
re- is any especially hot corner
oil hcll. in winch the damned are roast