Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-09-09


Another Shot at Moral Saloons"
Bill Barlow in Sage Brush Philoso-
ply: Although in full accord with
that apostolic ~admonition TO take a lit
tie wine for the stomach's sake, and
standing shoulder to shoulder with
Timothy Old Top in his advocacy of
grape in moderation as a preventive OF,
the grip, yet must admit that I can
not conscientiously add my Endorsement
to that of Bishop Potter of New York
of the saloon as a soul saver. 1t was
no common gin mill which this good
man opened with prayer in that city
the other day, tbs true. A soda-fount in
front sorter takes off the sting, and the
barkeep who fails to recognize a bud
ding boil-over is TO be summarily
bounced and all that; but they have
the goods as does the biz in stock which
you can buy If you ave the price, and
everybody knows wha happens when
time and opportunity hold hands. DR..
Potter's idea of course Is hat man is
a social animal wis simply will booze
a bit; that the grog shop with it's to-
basco sauce tipple and evil associations
viii get him If he ant find a better,
and that to surround him with the es-
sentials of comfort, order and cleanli-
ness, sell him only pure juice and safe
guard him agin making a hog of him
self will tend to better his condition
n read him In the direction to the
uplift. And his theory is all right, too,
I'm telling you-but like most theories
evolved through nothing more certain
than a good guess 1t has already been
shot so full of holes by practical ex-
perience that I'm sure. now, that the
good bishop is sorry that he spoke.
Jags galore-joyous and juicy jags cal
culated to elicit the envy and admira-
ton OF every old bat on the Bowery are
born in the Subway every day. Some
times the actual ACCOMPLISHMENT takes
place elsewhere; but Ii is in this mode
saloon that the damage was done
where the rape of reason was COM
mitted and a torch applied to the brush
pile of an uncomfortable thirst,
Bishop Potter means we'll: but he
doesn't know mankind. Like most re-
formers. he reasons from a standpoint
which is as fatuous n unsubstantial
as a dead mans dream If all men
were like DR.. Potter his model saloon
would be a blessing; but unfortunately
that isn't the fact. Although 1t is Of
record that the reverend gentleman
blessed the place and went home with
out a highball, yet it is probable that
he keeps a small vial handy in his
study which he hits occasionally n
counts 1t no sin-nor is 1t, good sirs.
Warrant for a quiet nip is found in
holy writ-ask Tim! But there's the
rub, for with many a poor devil n
nip means more and the first thing
they know the doctor can't do nothing
for Little Lisbeth. For they must go
through, even though the house was
opened with prayer and the booze
blessed by a sure-enough bishop after
he had called the congregation to order
with a b~ung-starter. Environment
doesn't count with this class: and If
the waiter finally balks, it is only a
step to the next joint, and only a few
more drinks to a well differentiated
drunk.
Intemperance is a disease for which
there seems no cure. The Keeley grad.
takes one taste and backslides with the
speed and ease of a roller coaster, and
don't care a cuss. Grandma Maine and
others of her ilk ave but added TO the
gaiety of nations in their hysterical
efforts to suppress the sale of liquor
by law. The only time your pastor
to the push vas ever laid out cold In his
life was in a dry" town down In Me-
braska where you couldn't buy, beg or
steal a drop of the vile stuff-and yet
Mrs. Bills tells me with tears In her
eyes 10 this day nov it took -FOUR men
n a half caste coon to bring me
home. The fellow with a thirst and the
sign right will find it-t'elI with law
and license. Prohibition only increases
the temperature. The misguided old
hens Of the w. C. T. u. have sent many
a good man to his own hell through
their suppression of the army post
canteen. to the great JOY OF doggery-
tenders and pimps and prostitutes who
have helped the poor devils along as
only they know how. Misinformation
as to men, method and motives has
made a sorry mess of many s~o-called
reforms brought about by these dear
sisters. Anyway, prohibition IS Tyranny
lit means ~paternalism, and paternal-
ism mean a return to the rack n
thumb screw of the dark ages. Crime
may be forbidden and punished by law
vices can only be corrected through
education. The man who drinks is not
a criminal. and none of US take kindly
TO a club-ta-ra-ruml
Yes, dear, intemperance is a crying
evil-the proven parent OF suffering
and crime to the limit OF the calendar.
1t makes a man sing at night and may
hap commit murder In the morning.
1t leads TO an immeasurable percentages
of domestic u~nhappiness. divorce. mis-
cry and woe. 1t turns unnumbered
homes Into a he'll, and from out ITS
| gloomy portal marches an army OF
children who are worse than. orphans
Our wisest md best men have thus far
tried to solve the problem presented
without avail. Some OF these days
when | get around to II I'll tackle and
settle 1t right-but you can holler il
In the streets OF Gath il you want
to that Bishop Potter has missed II
q mile.