The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-04-19
LOCALIZED EvIlS--NO. a..
BY John Danner.

Nearly all progressive and active
churches have their organizations for
the young people; as, for instance, the
Christian Endeavor Society, the Ep-
worth League and the Baptist Young
People to enlist the younger members
in all active and reformatory work.
This is as 1t should be, and in all of
these organizations they have their
periodical temperance days.
AS a suggestion let said societies in
the near future try the plan Of having
reports from all the members present
on the temperance question, and an
nounce a week or two before that on
such evening there will be reports on
the evils of the liquor traffic, and show
the deaths, crime, and suicides that
have taken place during the previous
month as the result of this legalized
evil in our midst.
Many Of our best informed preach
ers, and public instructors, have given
1t as their opinion that fully two
thirds if not three-fourths of our muir
ders and crimes are the direct result
Of this monster evil.
As loyal citizens and Christians,
Of every name, we believe that the
Kingdom of this world shall become
the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His
Christ" but every sane person must
admit that this cannot take place so
long as Christian voters sustain by
their ballots any system Of tax or H.
cense for the saloon. The only way to
deal with evil Is to prohibit it; not
give 1t legal protection by some sys-
TEN of high tax or license. Stop and
think along this line a few moments,
and you will come to the same con-
clusion.
The only rational and Christian way
to deal with evil is to prohibit it, and
when parties are found sowing the
seeds Of evil arrest and punish them.
Often has It been published in our
daily papers, and also in the religious
weeklies, that the sale Of intoxicating
liquors for beverage purposes has done
more harm, and caused greater de-
struction of life and property, than
have war, pestilence and famine COM
bined." Then why give legal permit
under amy system Of tax or license,
when we do not think of doing this
with many Of the lesser evils we have
referred to?
The only reason that can be truth
fully given is, that in July, 1862, our
national government took the liquor
traffic into partnership by putting a
tax Of 80 cents gallon on whiskey,
the cost of which was only about 10
cents gallon to produce. From that
day to this the saloon or liquor traf-
fic for beverage purposes has been in
our American politics, and is today,
and the soner 1t can be got out Of our
politics and dealt with as an evil,
the sooner we will have peace on this
vexed and ruinous traffic.
We would think a man crazy who
should propose that stealing and conn
terfeiting be legalized by high tax or
enough to consider the matter, we find
that in the state and nation the cost
Of life and waste of property have been
vastly greater from legalized liquor
traffic than from war, pestilence and
famine combined" Now let our voices
and ballots be used to put an end 10
this kind OF unwise legislation.
There is no trouble TO show that the
above alarming facts are true beyond
all dispute. and challenge any man
to show that the nation. the state, and
our homes have ever had particle