The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-09-03
PLEA FOR YOUNG MEN.

EDITOR THE COMMONWEALTH ALI
conditions and classes of civilized
America are menaced by some form Of
the evils which are the nseparable at
tendants of strong drink. We have
seen the old staggering upon the very
brink of the grave in beastly drunken
ness. We have seen the children suf-
fer for food and clothing, their future
without a hope and the soul pinloned
to the dens of vice and sin by intern
perance. We have seen beautiful
womanhood Inundated in the very
rags of abject want or her honor irrep-
arably destroyed because some man
whose life was once innocent has fallen
victim to the whiskey habit. But
there is no class more directly and
dangerously beset by intemperance
than our young men. The open saloon
throws around them every conceivable
temptation. It allures by deceptive
devices and appeals to the appetites
and passions.
The bars are kept open to late hours
when all other business houses have
closed, and offer every possible induce
| ment to the homewa-d bound. The
view from the street is INSTRUCTED and
within they are made gay and obscene
~ entertaining to entice the young
Once inside and then only few know
the balance.
The associations are the most vulgar,
profane and coarse. Such a type OF
coarseness never enters the home, how
ever humble; such profanity is never
heard upon the streets, and such shame
fal vulgarity is found nowhere else
save in the haunts OF the harlot.
No mother has any adequate con-
ception of these influences, and If she
could only halt guess them she would
blush with shame that her boy should
frequent such places.
If there were no strong drink here to
fire the brain and dethrone reason and
judgment, it is absolutely impossible to
develop the nobler virtues under such
environments.
Vegetation Is most productive and
attains nearest to plant perfection in
the flthiest and murkiest soils because
1t has the power to ass:milate only
those things which develop the plant
But not so with the human life. God
endowed man with the power OF choice,
and surrounded him with good and
evil. He may asslmilate the good and
develop the higher moral nature, or
appropriate the evil and be degraded to
an estate unworthy of the beasts of the
field. Then it is dangerous policy to
surround our young men with the open
saloon. It cannot claim a single in
fnence that commends it to honest
people. But 10 the reverse, it produces
paupers and orphans, teaches dishon.
esty and gambling, is the incubator OF
the speckled brood of crimes, and fos-
tiers murder. It decries honor, Knocks
virtue and sneers at morality and re-
llgion.
The man who is man four square
who loves his fellow-man and lives for
the betterment of humanity and il
loved by all is he who has avoided the
evil and applied to. his own life the
best of the influence with which he
has been surrounded.
In the midst of these facts what il
my duty az citizen OF Scotland Neck
Just at tbs time? The question Of
fdntg ID clasra but the position a man
ttakes depends upon the mans regard
Tor uprlghtness, morality and principle
In the issue that is drawn here now
there is principle involved. I must
either espouse the cause of prohibition
or the open saloon. There is no posi-
BILE dodge and which 1 support will be
determined by which I want. There
are those who say they do not Iavo,
whiskey, but are opposed to the man.
ner in which the prohlbitionists are
trying to drive out the saloons. As tc
the matter of methods they are nc
more questionable on the one side
than on the other. In the question Of
prohibition or whiskey is the principle
involved. In the question OF ways
aud means is involved only an opinion
And who, that is an honest man, car
sacrifice a principle for an opinion
Our insight into wlckedness and vice
DOLLY increase our responsibility. Shat
we measure mp to these responsiblli
ties? May every good citizen be ialth
fnl to our young men and cast his bal
lot for = purer and nObler young man
1snfHs N f,s1r fasen.as ssss .ss