The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1904-09-03
A Letter from Coffeeville, Texas.

A Letter from Coffeeville, Texas.
DEAR JIMrLEcuTE: | wish to say that
enjoy reading your paper, because 1
learn from its columns the news from
my dear old home county, and see the
names of many of my dear friends
whom l have known and loved so long.
l enjoyed my visit to dear old Jeffer-
son last July and hope to pay another
visit to that place again in the near
future.
am glad, indeed to see that there is
to be an election on local option soon,
and that efforts are being made to close
the saloons in Jefferson. and thus put
a stop to one of the most diabolical
evils that has ever been known to man.
Intemperance has destroyed more
men and boys, and wrecked more
homes than all other evils combined.
The open saloons, where whiskey has
been sold, have been, and are yet,Yhere
they are allowed to carry on their ruin
GUS business; the most destructive agen-
cies that were ever employed by his
satanic majesty to corrupt, degrade and
ruin men and women.
The evils of the liquor traffic can
never be portrayed or described in hui
man language. Words are too weak to
to set forth the horrors, the heart
aches, the untold miseries that have
been brought about by the demon alco-
hol.
One of the greatest curses of the
liquor traffic is the social life of the sa-
loon.
1t is these places that men and boys
assemble at night, and there they treat
each other. and then engage in the
most filthy and obscene conversation,
and thus thousands of bright, useful
young men are started on the down.
ward road to hell and eternal ruin and
despair. On this subject a strong writ
er that expresses himself: !:
"a social vile is public men-all.
Not till righteous hand is raised to
strike it blow do we know the deep
seated place it occupies in the moral
and social life of the people. Just now
the American saloon is meeting-rath-
err late to be sure-its share of atten-
ton. Much is made of the social ele-
ment and the cry is raised that the
poor along with the rich, must have
their share of diversion and recreation.
But it would appear that nothing short
of q voice from the internal regions
could be heard championing the saloon
as benefcent institution. 1t thrives
for the curse, not the benefit, of mer
Of the laws order of society. And the
more's the pity; for if society can only
hope to be safe bv all mems becoming
free-men and having chance of rising
to higher levels, then to put such {
stone of stumbling in the path of the
weak is a crime against heaven.
The social side of the saloon is the
deadliest and most dangerous phase o
it. Just at the most dangerous perioc
of young mans life when he is apt tt
form false notions of the restraints o
home, the saloons open their doors anc
, bids him enter.
The estimated is made that ninet,
per cent of all drink-cursed lives begar
the career of the drunkard at the ba
] of the saloon"
t / commend the above strong word
q to the people of Marion county and be
i, seech them to rise up full force and de
termine to vote out the death-dealin
saloon which have 30 long been allow
I ed to do their pernicious work in tina
: country.
/. Statistics show that seventy. five pc
cent of the crimes of all kinds in tn
= country are traceable either directly o
indirectly to the liquor traffic. If tha
y be true-and no matchmaking ma
n will deny it-then why will people sui
/. NIT to the rum traffic any longer? VIII
q not rise up and put down this giganti
:, monster, thus running 80 many me
- and blighting 80 many homes and sent
ing so many souls to eternal partition
Rev. S. II. Morgan now of Dainge
field. was chaplain of the penitentiai
=, at Huntsville for four years and
az made careful study of this great que
OF ton and found that more than tire
': fourths of the convicts there we
=. ~ sent for crimes committed while und
# the influence of liquor, or that whiskt
Il was in some way the cause of the
ke crime.
u, Now, when we know that the
ali things are true, why will any sal
E L.