Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-05-16
Anti-Saloon League.

A very interesting public meeting was
held at the Courthouse Tuesday night, 9th
instant, under the auspices of the local Anti
Saloon League of Charles Town district.
Mr.. S. Howell Brown presided. Mr.. Ken
nedy, pastor of the Methodist Church, led in
prayer. Mr.. A. ID. Barr led in singing
Throw Out the Life Line" A large audi
ence was present to hear the distinguished
speaker, Rev. Julius E. Grammer, D. D., a
leading Episcopal clergyman of Baltimore
City. Dr. Grammer is heart and soul OPP
posed to the saloon, and he is firm believer
in the principles of the Anti-Saloon League.
His address was earnest, strong and convin-
cling. The speaker inquired, sis there not a
cause?' A sense of duty to ourselves and to
our fellow men brings us here. No man
lives to himself Wemust preDare the way
for a happy life for our sons and daughters
coming AFTER us. The liquor traffic is the
Pandora box for which nearly every evil
has come. Mr.. Gladstone was quoted in
opposition to the great evil of the traffic.
The speaker eloquently referred to our
beautiful Southland as he saw it recently on
his travel to Atlanta, Ca, to attend the In
ternational Sunday-School Convention; yet
our people are cursed by strong drink,
spending billion and quarter millions
annually. One-half of the drink bill comes
out of the wages of the working man.
Thou invisible spirit of drink if thou
hads't no other name we might call thee
devil" The skeletons of the dead if they
could, would rise up and mock our apathy
and Indifference. What is the remedy Ger
tainly not high license. High license fosters
that which should be abolished. 1t is legis-
lation in favor of a class. 1t gives to the
capitalist monopoly. 1t is an apology for
traffic which is evil 1t challenges the
conscience and reason which, every way you
look at the subject, convince us of the
iuiquity of the saloon. The revenue derived
from the sale of liquor is sometimes urged in
support of the saloon. But such revenue is
blood money. A community without sa.
looms ismore prosperous than one with them
There are more saving banks in cities and
towns where the saloon does not exist. High
license does not stop the quantity of liquor
sold and does not lessen the misery caused
by them. The only remedy is to abolish tho
saloon. High license is a compromise. ThC
saloon ought to go. LIST. Because it is a nui
sance. End. 1t is perilous. Sd. 1t is of nj
practical value. But it is said this is fret
country. 1t is free to save, help and bless
but not free to license lawlessness and de
bauchery. No man dares to throw out {
false light on our shores to wreck ships or t.
dig pit fails on our streets. There is no lib
erty without law. Again it is urged, that a
man is social creature he needs the saloon
Is not home a social institution? Shall We
encourage man to become drunkard OF
In. 81.
ment for the qualification of our social in
stincts must be elevating. The Supreme
Court of the United States holds that til,
saloon is an immoral business and that the
saloon system is frought with the Creates
danger. There is but one standard of moral
ity-a public conscience enlightened by the
Bible and such conscience is against the
liquor saloon. l.. Il. MELBOURNE.