Washington sentinel., 1901-06-22
Ignorance, Bigotry OF whAt7

Ignorance, Bigotry or whAt2
The saloon keepers OF Washing.
ton have received a circular, over
the signature oil local liveryman,
couched in anything but temperate
language. The writer claims to
have devoted many years to allie
waiting the sufferings Of unfortu
nate and distressed people, whose
woes he lays at the doors OF the
saloon. II he is to be believed all
crime has its root in drink and
criminals are all drinkers1
A more nonsensical assertion
was never made, and if half the
time devoted to the preparation OF
the circular had been given to in.
vestigation OF the subject and con-
sultation with prosecuting officers
its ialsity could easily have been
established, Unfortunately it is
the too common practice OF re-
formers OF this stripe to mistake
fiction for laets and to appeal to
prejudice an d passion rather than
to truth and reason.
The author oil the circular sets
out to discuss intemperance and
immortality, but a single dip of the
ink sutfices to exhaust what ne has
to say about the latter, although
that subject offers a field for his
labors as fruitful in misery as the
most jealous reform er could wish
for, and he turns his attention to
an abusive attack upon saloon
keepers which stamps him more Of
bigot than a philanthropist.
Gambling is a species OF immo-
rality whose victims are numbered
by thousands in this city. 1t is a
vice more tempting and alluring
than intemperance and as a source
oi suffering to the families Of its
devotees it ranks above that vice.
Yet the gambler is rarely drink
ing man, for his business requires
cool, clear head, such as Prohi
bltionists say cannot accompany
the use Of liquors.
The highwayman, the burglar,
the petty thief and swindler are ex-
ponents Of vice in forms that bring
disgrace and misery to innocent
men, women and children. Nine
tenths OF the crime charged to
these offenders against the moral
law is committed while in a sober
state, and police records will prove
that the most successful represen-
tatives OF these callings are usually
non drinkers, And in the class OF
murderers, how often has a plea Of
intoxication been urged in exten.
uation Of crime7 Seventy. five per
cent Of the murders committed in
this city by white men had other
causes than drink to blame for
them.
And in higher circles, the bank
wreekers, forgers, and the thou
sand and one forms Of speculation
which number their victims not
singlY but by scores and hundreds,
which entail suffering and hard
ships untold, and are at the bottom
Of more suicides. and drive more
people to the commission OF crime
than the world will ever be aware
oi-Who are the criminals2 Drink
ing menf No. The drinker could
not conceal his rascalitY. All
these require also the cool, clear
head that is seldom associated with |
the users Of drink in immoderation. |
Temperance is ever to be COM
mcHded--in thought, word and |
deed IS we'll as in the use OF |
liquors The liVeryman in q1es-
tion seems to be a more ft subject |
ior a sermon on this virtue than |
those TO whom he addresses his re.
marks, among whom he numbers
scores Of relatives, friends and ac-
qUsintsnces. and from whom very
likely the charities he encourages
have received substantial help.
His efforts to make people real
re their duty TO God and their
will be barren Of results
Is long as be fails to appreciate the
necessity Of practieing what he
,reaches-temperanee-in its wild
st sense.