Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1900-03-28
HIS opfNfoN or LOCAL offtoN
Communicated.
Timber Ridge, Va, March 90.

Timber Ridge, Va, March 9s.
Now we turn our anxious eyes to Lexing-
ton and wonder what she will do In the case
We have men who never get drunk excepting
when they go to Lexington. Would 1t DO
these men any good to take away the temp.
tation that there stares them In the face at
every cornorH Further, there are men In the
town who can be counted by the hundreds
who are daily (rim drinkers who would
not touch It II IL was not for the temptation
that assais them on every hand, so like the
fable of the spider and the fly. For the
sake of argument just let some one familiar
with the facts count the men who have gone
from the county TO live in Lexington during
the past twenty-five years and see what
proportion of them became either drunkardS
or daily dram drinkers. The facts are
astounding and how can it be said that 1t
would have done no good to have kept
temptation out Of their woys. The argu-
uInent ~ Is used to the effect that there Is
no use to have the law when we know that
4 will be violated. How SLIM What law
have we on our statutes that Is not violated?
Shall we abolish the law against murder be-
cause men will kill each other anyhow
Shall we wipe out all law against theft be-
cause people steal Notwithstanding the i'm
pending penaltiesT Not at all. Let us then
have local option laws and do our very best
to enforce them, and though some violations
may occur, the vast good that must result
will more than compensate for all tho time
and trouble. The greatest enemy TO the
temperance cause is not the wretch who has
already been brought near the brink OF ruin
by whiskey, but the man who is called a
good man in society and q blush to say IT,
has his name enrolled follower Of Christ
and takes prominent part in the exercises oil
worship In his church and yet joins hands
with the Devil and his host la fighting FOL
the greatest evil that ever cursed Adams
race. The Devil never has found better
weapon with which to carry out his fiendish
designs than the good man, the church man
Another plea is put up to the effect that II
the sale Of whiskey is stopped In Lexington
somebody will set up a DEVILS workshop
just outside and still the people will drink
This may be so to limited extent, but all
know that there are hundreds who use 1t now
who would not &C. outside to get it. Then,
there is another safeguard. After the voters
Ct Lexington have decided to try the law,
where Is the Judge who could reconcile him
self to the granting license to anyone outside
to thwart their effort for good?-especially
when it is not must or shall, but may, grant
lat his own discretion as l take it, What a
blessing to young men at thetwo Institutions
Of learning there, II the bottle Is not to be
poked under their noses every time they
leave their quarters There can be no
reasonable doubt that there would be an
increased attendance OF % per cent. and the
dear old mothers who send their boys there
would feel much moro at ease concerning
them. Some say that we can't afford to give
up the license tax, looking at the case from
a money standpoint. II men would think
for minute they could not bring that point
into the case. Can we barter the lives, the
peace and hspr mess OF men and families for
all time and many for all eternity for the
paltry sum of money involved9 No, though
it were ten, twenty, hundred or even
thousand times as great, it would not be
worthy of consideration Some say that we
must have licensed bars In order to get
whiskey for medicine. Well, II 1t Is a
necessity. some arrangement can be made
for che druggist in the county to handle 1t
for that purpose, under bond with heavy
penalty for violation. II this can't be done
then let me die for want Of 1t rather than
hundreds Of my fsllowmen shall be ruined
by the use and abuse Of It,
w.