The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-05-30
Communicated.

anu "IG1 OIlC hOlOCs oil HdE6
cried out, Lord. save US from
the Dispensary." The former
were trembling in their boots
for reasons wholly personal and
entirely selfish; not so with the
latter. The motive which gave
birth to their petitions and cries
tOf protest was SOlicitude for the
fair name Of our virgin State.
Did this organization forget the
sons and daught of her State
and the network of snares and
temptations which the bar-rOOms
ever weave about their feet?
Did they forget the social drink
where hundreds and thousands
Of our youth take the first step
downward? Did they forget
the carOusals, gambling, shoot
ing affrays, murders and other
nameless evils which are born
behind the blind-doOrs of these
diabOlical denS of des tructiOn?
Do ruined homes, wrecked
lives and broken hearts count
naught i'll the contemplation of
the States fair name? Why so
much consideration in behalf of
the State? Why so much fear
lest the State of Florida should
go into a business she is already
into, and deal in something she
is already dealing in?
Another plea which these
friends of temperance bring be-
fore us is that the. Dispensary
would put whiskey into the
hands of politicians, Better far
to have it in the hands of poll
t;cians than in thh hands and
down the throats Of our prec
iOus young men! Besides, do
we not entrust the highest and
best interests Of our State in the
hands of politicians? If we en-
trust the best, may we not en-
trust the worst?
The w. &. T. U. has practi-
cally said: IF we can't get rid
.of EVERY DROP Of whiskey, then
we don't want to get rid of any.
I'VE prefer to drown in it rather
than have the greater part of it
drained toff. We hold to our
principles and aim at prohibi-
ton, and if We can't get that,
we won't have anything. No,
not even a measure that means
a great step toward it. Such is
the principle upon which these
petitions were built, the pivotal
point around which the senti-
ment resolved. Just as if we
are not further from Prohibition
now than we would have been
had the Dispensary Bill passed.
1t would have been at least one
step forward. Yet it was held
back by champions of Temper
ance who called in ministers of
the gospel to help them! We
want perfection, and this Bill
isn't perfect, they say. True, it
isn't, but all must admit that it
is nearer perfection than the
present system. Perfect meth
DDS and perfect laws are not
reached at a single leap. If we
can't get best, we must take
next best, and be- thankful for
even a small advance.
Ny worthy sisters, we are en-
gagged in a noble work. The
aims and purposes of our great
organization are the highest and
best. The end it holds in view
is a good one and all right
thinking people are in sympa-
thy with us, But SOMEBODY
made a grave mistake when
those petitions were drawn up,
and numbers of others made
the same mistake when they
signed them. II we can't get
rid of the sins Of intemperance
entirely, why ndt be practical
and get rid of as smuch of it as
possible? The Rispensary law
to a great extentI would .prohiIb-
it our boys frorp forming the
drink habit. Is would keep
out of their hands un-
til they had sens enough to let
it alone. Alas! ! We are too
prone to elevate ourselves on
mountain tops ! and theOrize.
Theory is alright but we mustn't
stop there. Thdgreat need to-
day is to get dow n on a common
level with our f@low-man, and
practice our theories. To do