The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-02-15
More Charity Needed.

the incense question. Interested be-
cause the question is of vital impor-
lance to me, as it.should be to every
one inside our city limits. Indignant
because of the lack of charity where
we have reason to expect it most
But Sunday the minister said: land
the greatest of these is charity" and
today ninty.nine hundreths of the
anti-saloon people have not one par
ticle of charity for the man who signs
the saloon petition, honestly believ-
ing that is the better way to handle
this curse of modern civilization.
The question before us is not one
of temperance. The stuff is here: it
will always be here land what is more
it will be used. Your common sense
must tell you that you cannot compel
m an to do anything save by the
strong armsof the law, and even that
is not strong enough to compel him
to quit drink as long as he does not
drink to excess. Then the law does
throw around him and his friends
certain protection, which, l for one
am not in. favor of taking away. If
he be "gold cure" or habitual
drunkard, his friends have only to
notify theI Mayor and eve ry saloon
in the city lis closed against him.
Then ifIhe gets drunk he gets it in a
way which our anti-saloon people
could prevent if they were diligent
enough. If the question before us
was the adjustment of strong drink
how different it would be!
The trembling hand of the drunkard
would be among the first to sign that
which would remove from his path
the temptation which he is not strong
enough to overcome; but this is
Utopian-it will never be-as we said
before the liquor is here, the question
is how shall it be handled. Did your
boy get his first drink in saloon?
No! 1t takes more bravado, than he
then had to enter saloon, but close
he saloons and where you least ex-
pect it, where he may have gone on
an errand for you, he meets with
temptation. All the arguments you
IAN bring to bear on the subject does
not alter the fact that the liquor
traffic will go on in our city. Shall
be lawful or Illicit? like to know
saloon keeper when + see him. He
| no doubt thinks his business honest.
l do not, but think him honest. He
makes no pretentions to be other
than he is. He does not associate
With those whom he knows despises
mis- calling; he respects the law. On
the other hand you know how it was.
The church dared not allow certain
members to occupy prominent places
in the church but do you know when
they wanted to raise money for
church purposes those certain mem
bers" were the first called upon. "Oh,
consistency thou art jewell"
The writer would not be under
stood as traducing the church or the
many noble men and women engaged
in it's work, but we are all human,
all likely to err. You may be right
and l may be wrong, but "charity
never faileth." Think for a moment
of the narrowness of one of the anti
saloon writer's who said; "tbere was
no moral aspect on the license side of
this question: No doubt his inten-
tons we're of the best but if he had
had balky horse to sell, how polite
he would be, even to the extent of
saying; "a woman could drive him
as we'll as a man." but here when he
wants to win people to see the ques-
ton as he sees it, he offends before
he can possibly hope to convert.
There are honest, upright men who
believe in license, just as there are
who do not believe in it. The man
who deserves contempt is the man
who, having convictions, as all must
have If they be men, yet for reasons
polite will not stand by those con-
victions-does not sign either one
way or the other. This is a vital
question, and while we individually
may be mistaken in our ideas of that
which is for the best, surely the ma
jority giving this their best thought
will not err.
| consider the threat of the w. G,
T. U. in no way differing from the sc
called "shot gun intimidation of the
South''so far as principle is con
cerned. If they would promise us the
list of those who do not vote upoT
this question then there could be seen
in it desire TO get the best judgment
of the majority. But no, if you Dc
not see this question their way they
will use every means which a lady
can use (you;know she's afraid of I
gun, it might go Off to prevent you
seeing itIother way.
Still / canlsee in it this good, it will
rid US of the judgment of those VIII,
would shirk their duty lest they los
dollar in trade or vote in antici
pated elections. 1t is my best judg
ment to sign for license. If this
not the best judgment of the major
ity, then l have been mistaken, bu
I'll have this consolation / hav
been honest in my convictions an
. have stood by them.
s. e. e.