Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-04-13
REPLIES TO SALOON MEN
Rev. Or. Woods Replies TO Their
Proposition Of Last Week.
SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS
Asks If Law and Order Society Is
to Determine Who May Purchase
Intoxicating Liquors.

Editor OF Lie EVeuluR NOElu.
Dear Sir--I noticed the "proposi
ton" of certain of the saloon men in
| your paper few evenings since and
reproduced in the Democrat of yester-
dav, to the effect that the members of
the Law and Order society should I'M
| dertake to furnish the names If any
person or persons whoie families are
made destitute by reason of the sale
| of liquor to the same. and upon such
information given they pledge them
selves not to sell any more whiskey to
these persons.
One or two things occur to me in
connection with this proposition. For
| instance whom does the law hold re-
sponsible for the sale OF liquor to i'm
proper persons? Is tine Law and Or
der society to de termine who is mi
nor. and who is confirmed or habit
usl dIunkard, and which day OF the
week is tho Sabbath, ami then notify
the salooIkeeper that he must not sell
to such people on that day? Does not
the law require saloonkeep-rs to &C.
quaint themselves with the character
and conditions of those to whom they
sell and to refuse to sell to any i'm
proper persons? 1t is surely peculiar
idea that the orderly citizens of the
community must be burdened with
the responsibility Of telling them of
the proper ones to whom they may
ting into tie clutches of the law But
this proposition is meant evidently to
insinuate that there are no families
suffering injury from the drink habit
of tie man or the men who are re-
sponsible for their support. Who are
the ones that ought to be sure about
this before they run the risk of work
ing great wrong to helpless women
and children? Are not the sellers of
the intoxicating drinks? If you gen.
tlemen are really in earnest about this
and are not merely acting under cum
ming leg Al advice to lay trap for the
Law and Order society. we may as
sume that you will spare no trouble
to inform yourselves in regard to
this matter. and Will take the proper
steps to Inform yourselves as to
whether the man to whom you sell H.
quor il wronging mis- family in spend
ing his money in your saloon. We
find that the men who live economic
ally and do not waste any money in
the saloons, yet find it close nipplng
to make ends meet and keep out of
debt. How then can men who spend
so large a proportion of their wages
in drinking, manage to get along with
out dispensing with the things that
are necessary to the comforts and
welfare of their families?
Then the question arises-how hest
to inform yourselves about the real
conditions of things in these fam.
lilies? l answer go and see for your
selves. That is what the churches
and benevolent associations of the
town do when they undertake to help
the needy. That is the way the min
listers and others of the city tind out
in regard to the pitiable condition of
the drunkaId's home. They have
hunted them up and the liberal PEG.
pie of the community have given
them practical help. Go We and do
likewise. Do not depend upon hear
say evidence. Every court demands,
not what you have heard somebody
else say that they had seen or heard
of, but what you personally know
about the matter in hand. You evi.
IDENTIFY do not believe the testimony
which we give. Examine with your
own eyes and satisfy yourselves. Go
to the homes of some or all of your
"habitual drunkards" and question
their wives about how things are with
them and you may be surprised at the
revelations which they can make to
you. Moreover-wben wives come to
you and warn You not to sell to their
husbands, have You always been care
full to obey the warning?
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
F. NJ Woods