The gold leaf., 1903-10-08
AGAIN, THE DISPENskRY.
This Time Mr.. T. M. Pittman Writes
On the Subject.


EDrToR GOLD LEAF:-The letter OF DR..
f. S. Harris in the GOLD LEAF OF Sept.
oath, opposing the dispensary movement,
marks an interesting phase in the tenn
perance agitation. There seems now TO
be O prohibition element who will go
West to reach the East. Ii the liquor
| men will not join them for prohibition,
they will Join the liquor men for the
open saloon. 1t is strange. very strange,
to see old-time prohibitionists and sa
loon keepers united, hand in hand, to
maintain the open saloons and protect
them from the only interference possible
at this time Two cannot walk togeth-
er unless they be agreed. So in dlspen-
sary campaign the saloon wing OF the
prohibitionists and the saloon men are
agreed in favor of prohibition and open
saloons. The votes of the prohibition
lists are to go for the saloons and the
moral influence OF the saloons is to go
| for prohibition.
This is an anomalous and unfortunate
situation. Those who favor a dispen-
sary are largely prohibitionists who are
| SO firmly convinced that the liquor traf-
fic is wrong and hurtful that they are
willing to cripple where they cannot de-
stroy it. and to curtail it's evils a little at
| q time. So has the whole moral law as
exhibited in the Scriptures been deve[
| oped, so has civilization grown, SO has
| the temperance sentiment become a far
| reaching influence. We need men Of high
| ideals, but efficient purpose and action
are necessary to bring them into use.
| President Roosevelt has wisely said that
| 1.-The man who demands the Immediate
| impossible in temperance is not the man
| who ever aids in an effort to minimize
| the evils caused by the saloon The
good doctor and his friends have never
seen perfection in any human enterprise.
| They have never experienced 1T In Their
own lives and work, nor seen it in their
| neighbors. They have not found it in
| their churches. Yet they will join with
| the saloon men to defeat anything short
OF absolute perfection in dealing with
this great and difficult liquor problem.
No one supposes the dispenspry will
| ideal, but it is practical. 1t goes a long
step in the right direction. Ii only one
| family be saved the cruel pain and shame
| of seeing father. brother, child or kins-
man go down in drunkenness and death,
| it is thousand times worth the doing.
Will there still be drinking? viii drink
| ing places be made of barns, wood
sheds, cellars, road-sides, fields, stores,
| homes?' Very likely. 1t has always
been SO, and even prohibition has it's
| ''blind-tigers." But, if experience is
| worth anything, these evils will be great
ly reduced Has anything in all the
| worlds history been found worse than
| the open saloon? There are only two
sides to the question now before the pub
| lie The election is going to decide for
| the open saloons-seven of them-Or for
| the dispensary. The only chance for the
saloons at this election is from the sa-
loon element Of the prohibitionists, who
will have all they want or nothing.
| Hereafter, if there are open saloons III
| Henderson. let no man put the blame on
| the Town Commissioners Or the County
| Commissioners. 1t will not deserve to
rest there The responsibility for the
| open saloons will rest on the heads OF
| professed prohibitionists who now stand
| for the open saloon and teach others to
do so. and it may be the time will come
| when the consequences will weigh heavy
| on their hearts. God forbid. Now a
word to DR.. Harris: Doctor, come with
us and bring your friends. We want the
same thing that you want. and because
we cannot get that we are trying to get
less. We hold you in esteem as Chris
| tian gentleman There is no common
| ground between you and the liquor in
| terests; there is between you and us.
We are trying to do some good. Won't
you helpus
/ ( n