Willmar tribune., 1899-02-08
Temperance Comment.

IF" .GgE1
Temperance Comment. 81
Edited by the Press Superintendent of the
G. T. Y. OF Wiilmar.1
''W''e to him ,!lat givt:,l his neigh
bnr drink ~~ ..
The meanest thing that any man can
DO for another is to vote to, license
him to sell Intoxicating drinks. 1t is
mean to him, his family and his
friends, for his bus disgraces all,
debars seller and family from decent
society. 0ebauches their consciences
and degrades them to the level Of the
vilest classes of any city or state. No
class OF crimes CAN be meaner than
the crime of liquor selling, and NO IL
| cense: low Or high, can lift it to re-
spectabiiity; hence the meanness Of
voting to license it.-New Day.
The Christian voter is supposed to
execute. the will of Christ at the ballot
| box. The world demands this, or it
at once stamps him as a hypocrite; or,
taking his action as the Interpretation
OF Christ's will, it judges that were
Christ here, He would do similarly.
Ii the Christian casts his ballot for
men OF the highest integrity as to pow
er for good, or if he votes for morally
questionable methods for dealing with
institutions that are in themselves in
furious to mankind, so the world es-
Inmates Christianity. The first ques-
tion for every Christian voter to de-
termine is ''How would Christ vote?"
The liquor traffic is a system tn at
the church, Christ's representative,
has condemned time and time again.
Then would you, Christian voter, as
you go to the polling place and meet
people, give them any cause to doubt
as to which way you cast your ballot
in regard to licensing the saloon?
Would your ballot be marked the
same as the bar-tender's or saloon
lists? Would you be willing to be a
partner IN auctioneering off your
friends and neighbors to become
drunkards? The church member of
Willmar will soon be called upon to
pass upon this vital question. Broth
err, what shall the verdict be? Chris
tianity in partnership with the saloon
or Christianity banishing the saloon?
u ~
John G. Wooley says of the liquor
question::
1t concerns society at lar &c: for like
the fox beneath the Spartan soldiers
doublet, it tears her very heart out,
bravely as she carries it.
1t concerns government: for it feeds
the wells from which it draws it's very
breath Of life, denies it's title to itself,
violates the dead, plumbers the living,
and breeds parental pa"pers and Grim
inals to perplex and defeat it.
It concerns capital: for it is the
mainstay of arson, embezzlement,
mobs, riot, aud murder.
It concerns labor: for it saps its
strength, its honor, and its hope until
industry becomes a galley slave, will
ling to take its pay in blows and
sweaty rags and squalor.
It concerns the church: for by SO
much as it enjoys she suffers loss.
1t concerns the school: for by SO
much as it outruns it in the race fo1
power it converts culture into crime,
and makes the educated "the danger.
GUS classes" to the common veal.
| It concerns every home: for it is a
denial of it's every sanctity, and an in.
suit to it's best ideals.
1t concerns love: it leeches its very
blood, and leaves behind the ashes o1
inexpressible desolations.
| 1t concerns the land not only, bu,
the sea as we'll: for every stately
"ocean liner" that clears our ports,
and sails down over the edge of the
world with the 'union'' at her flag.
staff, carries on board a "bar" of un-
charted shoals and sunken reefs for
some of the voyagers; and many a
gallant life goes down at sea inside
the ship and while the watch is cal.
ling at every bell: "All's we'll! ALPS
WE'LL"
- -
The temperance sentiment of the
country has won signal victory in
the House of Representatives in Wash
ington, in securing the adoption of an
amendment to the army bill abolish.
ing the ''army canteen.' It is to be
hoped that the senate will ratify the
action Of the house in this matter.
! The local w. G. T. u, will meet at
the home Of Mrs.: Young on Thursday,
Feb. l6. Aside from the business
meeting, there will be memorial ser.
vice for Miss Frances E. Willard, our
! hn1ovo1 ohioftoin ,vhc noe,o1 .>,ro j.