Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-07-13
GREETINGS.
To the Citizens of Cor wallis and
Benton County.

Coming as 1 do from a city
where debauchery and crime
exist in spite of all the efforts
put forth by the churches and
other elevating institutions, to
your quiet little college town,
needing but one policeman, and
he may safely take nap at any
time, I naturally wish to know
the why? But when l recall the
fact that the citizens of Benton
county two years ago banished
the drinking saloon from their
borders the condition needs no
further explanation. When told
that the public debt is now be-
ing diminished at the annual
rate of $4,000 over and above
current expenses, no difficulty is
experienced in answering the
common bluff of the saloon peo-
pie and their friends, viz. "Ban-
ish the saloon and your town
will soon become insol-
ventp' Bah! The time of the
patent of that scarecrow is out
and it cannot be renewed. The
merchants of wholesome and
legitimate goods have now no
difficulty in collecting their bills
for merchandise sold to purchas-
ers who in former years post
poned payments indefinitely, and
gave their earnings to the saloon
keeper. The thousands that
used to go into the pockets of the
salesmen of "booze" now goes
for shoes and hats and suits and
bonnets and dresses; and refined
sugar and surloin steaka nd super
fine -four, ETC., etc. And the
merchants smile, and the wives
smile, and children laugh and
play with papa when he comes
home sober and in his right
mind. The saloon-keeper has
got into some reputable business
in which he can maintain him
self and family without robbing
his fellowmen. And has become
a respectable citizen whom his
neighbors no longer shun. He
is thankful now that his neigh
bors laid hold of him aud pulled
him out of the mire of filth and
ruin. He knew it before, but
now he is ready to admit that the
drink business is robbery and a |
crime against man. Benton
county, with her seven companion
'dry" counties in Oregon, is now
referred to as an example of Sob
riety and prosperity; and Corval-
lis as safe place for the boys
and girls to come and receive
their advanced education at the
State College. But she and her
seven companions will not long
enjoy the pre-eminence in these
respects. These counties are an
object lesson to the rest of the
state. Very soon the remainder
ot Oregon will fall in line and
the criminal drink traffic be driv-
IN into oblivion. Now, let me
,all especial attention to another
and very essentially important
matter. Sobriety is a great ad-
to start with, but stupid
hing to stop with. We want
more than that. We want agri-
cultural development, CONNER
,ial enlargement, educational
ABILITIES increased. Local manu-
acture must be encouraged.
Enterprise and increased capital
will bring all this. Dare we stop
here? Yes, if man is an intel
ectual animal; no, if man is a
moral being. We have merged
90 far out of heather darkness to
sdmit the former. We agree on
he latter proposition, viz, Man
S moral being. His moral
nature is not only susceptible Of
development, but it is impossible
or him to stand morally still
he is bound to slide down or
:limb up The God who made
,im wants him to climb up and
las has furnished him with the
ABILITIES for doing so, viz. the
Bible and a weekly Sabbath as a
ime for its study. Some people
Who think they are intelligent
leuv this statement. But they