The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-03-11

BY JOHN pANNER.

| ne TAKING OI JHe llQuOT tTduC ~
partnership with free and inde-
pendent government like ours Is the
most inconsistent thing that can be
conceived of. and unless this partner
ship ceases, 1t will result in the down
fall of the greatest republic or earth.
Hear what the Rev. @. l.. Wharton,
Of Hiram, Ohio says:
For seventeen years met face to
face all the evils of Hindooism and Mo-
hammedanism combined and know
something of their effects on the body,
mind and character, but tell you that
the liquor and opium traffic Is COM
bination of evils more detrimental,
destructive and damning than all the
curses Of heathenism. 1t is doing
what centuries of heathenism could
not do-namely, robbing these people
of their only hope-the power to learn,
to know, to love and serve the true
and living God. Do we comprehend
the widespread character of this traffic
in the east? 1t is side by side in the
grain, fruit and vegetable market At
home we protect our children from
drink, and opium is marked poison
but here the mother buys opium to
quiet her child as she buys rice to feed
It.
"This is traffic only-simply trade
and commerce. 1t Is not carried on in
the interests of science, art, religion,
education, civilization, government,
politics or morality. It exchanges IL
quor and opium for money, with only
one motive-the love of gain. Where
has this great traffic originated? How
has 1t developed? Who are its re-
sponsible agents? It is not the in
digenous growth of heathen countries,
races or religion. It's capitalists are
not orientals. There is but one an
swer. Christian governments with
their Christian rulers and people.
"The seeming connection that Chris
tianity has with the liquor and opium
traffic stares every missionary in the
face at every turn. Liquor Is loaded
on the ship with his baggage as he
starts. 1t goes with him to his station.
1t is unloaded on the railway plat
form in the presence of the heather
along with the Bibles and prayer
books. When Christian nations and
rulers say that the native races need
protection and then establish and
carry on a trade more destructive than
heathenism, war, famine and pesti-
lence; when the heather themselves
cry out against such injustice and in
humanity; when the missionaries, like
the venerable John G.. Patton, leave
their native Christians to plead with
Christian rulers to abolish this traf-
fic, is It not time for the Christian
people Of the whole world to unite as
one man and in the power of God stop
this most harmful of all evils?"
Think of 1t, fellow citizens and pat
riots of every name, tnat now our
glorious flag sails to heather nations,
and protects the liquor sellers in
toxicating poison and our Christian
missionaries alike. Every true Chris
tian and patriotic citizen should raise
his voice, and cast his ballot against
all parties that uphold this great
abomination; all our missionaries of
every name make the same protest
that does this Rev. Wharton; every
ballot cast for tax or license party
says you pay the fee that our govern
ment demands, and we still consent
that intoxicants be sent where our
missionaries go and to open our sa-
looms and dram shops to pollute and
ruin our own dear boys.
For several years the two great po-
litical parties of our nation have been
troubled to find an issue upon which
they can go before the American peo-
pie and champion the best interests
of our homes and of our Christian
civilization. Up to this time both the
Republican and the Democratic par
ties have been the champions of le-
galizing this great evil by the same
system of tax or license laws; let
either party forsake this sinful policy
and declare that tho saloon must
CO." 1t would make such division in
politics as has not existed since our
civil war.
The next day after the declaration
of such an issue by either party, every
liquor seller and saloon keeper In the
land would forsake that party; but
on the other hand the good men and
patriotic citizens who heretofore were
identified with the other political par
ty would step down and out of the
whisky advocating party and go with
the party they had heretofore OPP
posed.
Why is it that one big brewer today,
has more power in both of these, our
grand old parties, than have a regi-
ment Of preachers and bishops? II is
because the brewer carries his prin-
ciples into the ballot box, but the
great mass of preachers and bishops,
when they go to the ballot box, cast
their profession of opposition to the
saloons to the winds. and vote the
same tax and license ticket that the
brewer and saloon keeper vote.
Our politicians can be moved by
the casting of ballots for "A great re-
form. but they are as deaf as adders
to the utterances of the pulpit and
the prayers In the churches. as long
as the membership themselves vote
with the liquor man against these
utterances. in order to have their old
political party win. Na
Christian brothers of every name,
remember this, If your are opposed to
the saloon, you should vote against
the saloon, but II you vote tax or