The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-19

politics of this question, but must reminh
you that this whole business exists pE ~
france of the community. The liquor dfaleI
is not RESPONSIBLE for the existence Oh yh W.
licuol traftc-the public is responsive Nheh |
a majority of the citizens OF the Sthte, coMuVS,
or municipality desire the saloon suppress.u,
The saloon will be suppressed. We have the |
LEGAL right and tho moral right to do so. ialh
about tbs enforcement OF law no IAN
human or divine was ever perfectly entorceu,
hut any law can be reasonably enforced Wheh |
It las sufficient public sentiment back Oh ",
Good men differ about the best means OF sup,
pressing or controlling the saloon. u IS 10y
my business to discuss methods but ! insist
that II is the duty of every man 10 use NE
best means for the suppression OF TINS tefrlnle
evil know II Ia sometimes said that 10
suppress the saloon would be hurful to bus,-
ness interests. do not believe the PROPOSE
tiQn can be sustained by facts But, u ~
were true, the man who puts the business -
forests Ct the community above the moral IN
terests. who estimates dollars and cents above
purity and manhood, is not wise counselor
OF q safe leader for any people
believe that total abstinence from inu2Nl-
carts as 4, beverage is the safe and Chrlst IN
rule for all. This man who never takes inc
first drink will never get drunk. No man ever
took tito fret drink expecting to become !
drunkard. The man who takes drink ana
stons there-the man who drinks and doesn't
mi Ike beast OF himself-,is the man who IN
iiuenoes young men TO follow his example,
HI makes drinking respectable, There are
TOO many clever gentlemen who make the
mistake of saying, II take drink when l
feel like it. Well that is precisely what an,
when he feels like II. prord d he can get the
money to pay for IT, Beware, my friend lest
you come to f.e IKE y too lrlquentlg' y Tng
lose nothing by abstaining YOU risk much by
Never offer drink to another. Perhaps tho
most pernicious habit connected with this
whole business Is the habit Of treating, There
is a false idea OF hospitality abroad--the idea
that It Is n sign of good fellowship TO oner
man a drink., DON'T DO i, You never know
but that the drink you offer may help to ruin
that mans life to break some mothers heart
/ ana TO rob some child OF It's innocence aud
! it's happiness. And this applies to drinking
that is not done N the saloons. Would TO
4 COD 10 could be banished from all public occa-
| sions and all social gatherings. Custom IS the
| tyrant that enjoins this usage. 1t is thought
by many that M occasion where the
9es w fHi5glf e ohampasne BASKET
or the punch bowl. It is my solemn conyIr-
lion that this is all wrong. II is DANGEROUS
custom. II sometimes brings men TO dis
, grace and ruin. What II nine men out of ten
can resist these hurtful Influences. We owe
something 10 the tenth man, especially II tn
son. | tell you, my friends the custom Of
social drinking Is tri1ng with sorrow oni
ruin and death. ! pray you, put your exam
nile and your influence against ~
Great rs this evil IS entrenchei as It. !;
in capital and Ing custom, my iaitD ~ Goe
and my faith In humanity confirm me II th'
crnyiction that II Is destined 20 be suppreise'
and driven frim the earth. believe the uaS
viii come when men will no more be aulnof.
ICED by law TO run saloans ana psr .ur' W
community than they will be allowed 10 any
other way to menace the stability ~ govern.
y,art and the weifare OF MANKIND. The churcl
IL being aroused. Great business Interests a
ecning TO see the dangers o: drink some o
: NO gigantic corpcrattons OF our lana ~
heco,ning most etficisnt temp-rance az ncies
nj froni moral but from business cons,usra
tiors The Temperance fentmen'i WI raai,
! ~, nm element ri Christianity. Is grown
nd VIII grow urttl II sweeps this evh iron
our Land and from all lands
/
..piyht Is right, since God is God.
And right the day must VIII
Nav God speed the day of its ul'S'ate am