The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-17
saying the Dow tax law restricts the

Sale7 ..-f....s - E.+st ~. --r
Christian--I guess 1 was mistaken.
II should be said to restrict the number
of saloons, but not the sale?
Heathen-Did you say your legisla-
ture makes the laws to give the right
to sell Intoxicating liquors?
Christian-Yes, the laws are made
by our legislators.
Heathen-Do you vote for the men
who make it legal to deal out liquors
to the destruction of your people?
Christian-Yes, when they belong to
my party.
Heathen-Then you vote more for
the party than for Christian principle;
is that SO?
Christian-Yes, you see It is the only
way to regulate this great evil
Heathen-Is your church in favor Of
these tax laws, which give permit to
deal out intoxicating liquors?
Christian-Oh, mo-; all our churches
are opposed by resolution to all tax
or license laws for the traffic. e4t
Heathen-How many voters are there
in Ohio who belong to your churches?
Christian can not tell exactly, but
about four hundred thousand.
Heathen--Then you should have
about four hundred thousand votes cast
in Ohio against the Dow tax law, or
any other system of license.
Christian-Oh, no; nothing like It.
You see our grand old party will not
take up this question for fear of losing
the saloon vote, and you see we do not
want to throw our votes away with the
little Prohibition party.
Heathen-Then If your four hundred
thousand Christian voters in Ohio do
not vote against the saloon, they must
vote with and for the saloon, or they
do not vote at all.
Christian-Well, declare that Is a
hard charge, but 1t does look that way.
Heathen--1 do not understand how
these things can be. Your church
members profess to be Christians and
declare against liquor selling, but vote
for men who make laws to give the
right to deal out intoxicating liquors
by paying $3.50 year. This appears
wrong to one who has been raised
among what you Gala heather people.
Christian-Well, really. you are
right, and ii does appear that our
churches should not declare against
liquor selling. or else have their men,
bers vote against this wicked way of
granting a permit to sell.
IIeathen-Certainly to vote to give
permit to sell intoxicating liquors by
the payment of an annual tax of $3.50
is against your Christian religion.
Christian know 1t, but it Is so
hard to vote against my old party that
upholds this thing.
Heathen-You told me that your
churches believe in a hell, and that all
drunkards go into this place of tor
ment, and yet nearly all of your four
hundred thousand Christian voters in
Ohio vote to give the right to open
up drunkard factories-the saloon. /
think ! had better go back and tell
my heather people what you Christian
people do in this country.
Christian-I beg of you do not do
that. 1t is not the fault of Christ or
Christianity that such inconsistent
| things are done. The Bible clearly
| says: "Woe to him that giveth his
neighbor drink It is our love for old
political parties that has heretofore
blinded our eyes to this sim will not
do II again.
Heathen-I know that your mission
aries who come among our people
would get many more converts than
they do If 1t was not true that here in
Ohio and in America you vote to give a
legal protection to the greatest enemy
of Christianity.
Christian-I know that all this Is
true. / know If all Christians voted
only for parties that openly advocate
the destruction of the liquor traffic that
within few years there would be no
such traffic in our land. l feel sure
that God will hold us responsible for
this great sin, and unless we repent
and use our ballots for the suppression
of this great wrong. our nation will
be destroyed, while you heather will
rise up in the judgment against us.
Heathen-lf you allow political lead
ers and party ties to keep you from
voting for what you know is right
and according to your Bible, how can
you expect the blessing of your God,
who is no respecter of persons?
Christian confess to you, heather
as you have been, that your arguments
are true, and L will never again cast
another ballot for any party that legal
lies the, great evil of liquor selling
| for beverage purposes, but will also
vote for. prohibition of this evil, no
difference what party it may lead into.
Heathen This Is consistent and
when all Christians do this, we will
believe that you are honest in your
Christian faith; and your missionaries
will have greater success among our
people.
1