The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-03-14

against those of us who by word or act
have helped to make it possible.
Ara seeking to stir up ill feelings
towards those engaged in this business?
God forbid. I haye not, and never had
anything but the kindest feeling toward
the liquor seller, and would do him
kindness as quick as any man. And the
more they hate me the more earnestly
try to pray for them. And I am not
sure but that the court, with whom the
granting of license to sell rests without
appeal, has the greater responsibility in
the matter, especially when commun-
ity shows clearly that they do not want |
it sold in their midst. 1t is the traffic |
and not the man that we must fight. |
And if the court or the seller receives q
blow now and then it is because the two,
the tra ffic and the party responsible for
it, cannot be separated.
We shut up mad men in our insane
asylums for our own and others security.
If we were to see a mad dog running
along our streets we would shoot it down
as soon as possible, for fear some of our
family or others might be bitten by it.
We quarantine against the cholera,
yellow fever and other diseases, and yet
license men to make mad men and turn
them loose on our streets to do anything
that the devil may suggest to them
And when they have done just what we
might expect them to do, when set on
fire of Fquid hell, we raise q cry of hor-
ror at the awful results. Whatsoever
a man soeth that shall he also reap" is
just as true of community as of an in
dividual. Some of you were very angry
with me awhile ago when, and because.
told the court that they had turned
over the community to the lawless ele-
ment for years to come. If 4 were to re-
count the cases of lawlessness that have
come under my own observation since
that time, naturally chargeable to this
license, eliminating in this tragedy, you
would be compelled to say that my pre-
diction was true. And what has the fu-
ture for us? God only knows. But some
things are certain. Some christian
mothers hearts are being broken, many
lives are being blasted for time and eter-
nifty, many happy homes are being
broken up, our churches are being
robbed of some of their best material, OF
their brightest young men, our streets
are rendered unsafe for our wives and
daughters to pass along without being
insulted, and no citizen is absolutely
safe from the dagger or revolver, in the
hands of one crszsd by drink. These are
facts patent to the eye of any one who is
willing to see, and to which we have 10
business to shut our eyes. And if we do
shut our eyes to them, then we must
quietly take the fruit, and eat it when it
drops in our hands, as drop it certainly
will sooner or later. Think of two boys
probably not over fifteen years old, on
our park ground Thursday, too drunk to
take care of themselves. Parties in Lew
istown this past week were given 4e
hours by the health board, to remove
certain things in the backyard declared
to be nuisance, and to endapger the
health of those living in the neighbor-
hood. But all the evils we have recoun.
ted as naturally coming from the bal
room open in our midst, with the tragedy
of Thursday, will not make our courtt
declare this nuisance. All the appeals
we might bring would be laid aside with
J probably no consideration whatever
, Though it endangers the soul as we'll al
! the body, though it sows seeds that only
eternity will reap, though it scstterl
misery and SORROW broadcast in our com.
munity, yet would our appeal be ig
nored.
, But there is another phase of thil
temperance question to which I desir,
! to call your attention at this time. Tha
, is the canteen system of our army. It il
burning disgrace to our noble army, tt
, Our grand America. The canteen system
, is the outgrowth of the war of the rebel
7 lion. 1t is as near as I can ascertain th'
+ successor of the sutler of the civil war
q Each regiment has the right to provide
+ store for its members in which may b.
y kept not only provisions of variou
kinds. not provided by the government
but beer and wines. Men are detailed
to keep these stores. When 60 detailed
! they must obey orders or suffer for dis
{ obedience. A young man may conn
from a christian home, he may be
/ christian himself, and may have Sc
+ -ious conscientious scruples agains
selling wines and beers, but to refuse t.
sell is to lay himself liable to be sent t
1 the guard house for disobedience. No
a il this a possible case simply. Nor
o than one man has been punished TO
p refusing to violate his conscience sine
this war commenced. We thought th
G. day of punishment for refusing t
= violate the the conscience was ovel
? But alas it is not. Nor is it Spain t
+ which we must look for this unexpected
). violation of human rights. No, it i
: under Old Glory that this iniquitou
r rule is practiced. Do you wonder that
a with all my love for our grand old fla
q and our noble country, 1 would rathe
Il see my son buried than see him in sue
It a regiment today?
II Think too of the temptation thu
t. placed before our noble boys by th
ia authority of our government. Th