The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-07
LOCALIZED EVIL NO. 16.
BY JOHN DANNER.

Heretofore the Methodist church and
the Presbyterian church have been
quite emphatic in their denunciation of
the legalization of the liquor traffic. /
am glad to see that the Baptists also
see this great evil and are fearless in
their declarations against this gigantic
curse. A few weeks ago the Southern
Baptist convention met at Hot Springs,
Arkansas, and unanimously adopted
the following resolutions:
Resolved, first, that we reaffirm our
truceless hostility to the liquor traffic in
all its forms. We regard it as one Of
the mast appalling evils that ever
cursed mankind. as well as one of the
greatest barriers to successful mission
work In both our home and foreign
fields. -,
Resolved, second, that in the nullify-
ing of the law abolshing the army
canteen, which law was passed by the
last congress, in response to an irresist-
able demand of the American people, a
great wrong was perpetrated against
Christianity, good morals and civiliza-
tion.
Resolved, third, that the establish
ment of the American saloon in addi-
ton to the army canteen in our new
possessions, is a direful blot on our civil
ization and our profession that ours is
a Christian nation. President Schur-
man, of the Philippine commission,
himself acknowledged these facts in
these words: 1T was unfortunate that
we introduced and established the sa-
loon at Manila to corrupt the natives
and to establish the vice of our race
He further adds: L have never seen a
Filipino drunkard.'
Resolved, fourth, that these recent
developments in the liquor traffic
should impress our hearts anew with
our grave responsibilities as Christian
citizens. Surely the time has arrived
when it has become the duty of every
minister of the gospel as well as all
Christians to take an open stand
against this great obstacle against the
spread of the Redeemers kingdom, and
to align himself with every agency In
the church and state which has for its
object the annihilation of this traffic.
Resolved, fifth, that while we can
not approve any feature of the license
system, we enter our emphatic protest
against the issuance of licenses by the
national government in states and lo-
calities that are covered by prohibitory
laws. ~-
Resolved, sixth, that, in brief, we
favor prohibition for the nation and
the state, and total abstinence for the
individual, and we believe that no
Christian citizen should ever cast n
ballot for any man, measure or plat
form that Is opposed to the annihilat ton
of the liauor traffic.
Hitherto the politicians have sue
ceeded in keeping the liquor question in
the background, while they would
bring forward some trifiing Issue in or
der to carry votes both from the LIQUOR
element and the church people; but this
question is rapidly coming to the front
and the day is not far distant when
one or the other of the great political
parties will be compelled to stop cater
ing to the liquor element. Hitherto
both parties have agreed to legalize and
protect the traffic by tax and license
laws. But Christians of every name
agree with our Methodist brethren,
who have declared tina. "the liquor
traffic cannot be legaliZed without sim"
When this is really believed and adop-
ted by our leading denominations, they
will be compelled to withhold their bal
lots from all political parties that up
hold any system of tax or license for the
traffic. When the lines are fairly
drawn on this question, there will be
such political revolution as we have
not seen for many years. That day Is
not far distant. The Republican and
Democratic parties have been fighting
over many questions the past thirty
years, but singular to say that up to
hi h.,
liquor question. In fact, both parties
have been courting the same girl" and
when the break comes (and come It
musD 1T will be one that will shake
the whole country, and will not be set
tied until 1t Is settled right. "The sa-
loon must CO."