The National tribune., 1906-07-12
THE BEER OCTOPUS.
Continued from page -

year from the vice drawing victims into
its clutch.
In every legitimate business there are
failures and bankruptcies to sadden US.
There are none In the beer business.
Wherever We may go we are likely to
see ruined flour mills idle factories,
abandoned rolling mills, fireless found
ries
We never see a dismantled brewery.
When a brewery starts, no matter
how humbly, 1t is sure to go on grow
ing 1t adds new buildings and larger
facilities for production every year.
while it's proprietor adds to his bank
account, and swells up in person and
in overbearing insolence toward the
community.
The Mightiest of Political Machines.
The political power and influence
welded by the insolent Lords of the
Breweries far surpass that of any other
interest in the country. Cheap and
shallow writers and orators are con-
stantly dinning about the Robber
Barons of this and that trust These
men may have considerable financial
Influence. but in politics they are pig.
mics beside the great Brewery Lords.
Every saloon in this country is an ac-
tive political center, where campaigns
are planned and carried out where
voters are rallied and controlled, where
plots are hatehed for all manner of cor
ruptlon- Every one of these saloons Is
the absolute creature and slave of the
despotic brewer. More than likely the
brewer owns the saloon. and has set its
keeper up in business. II not this he Is
pretty certain to have a mortgage upon
the saloon and all its fixtures, and can
turn the keeper out whenever he is at
all insubordinate. The Brewer Lords
are as despotic in their treatment Of
their saloon-keeping serfs as a Russian
Car. The saloOn-keeper pretends to
be the Boss of his Ward or Precinct.
but he is only carrying out the will OF
the brewer who holds mortgage on
his place. who has possibly paid for his
license. and who, if he has no other Bit
in his teeth, may refuse to furnish him
with beer:
Il Is this mighty power which demor-
alizes the police in tlIe cities, controls
the election Of executive officers of the
law and dictates the appointment OF
Judges. 1t is incomparably the worst
corruption in our politics, because it
suggests. initiates, and makes possible
all other corruption. 1t is selfishly. re-
greedy. Everything must
bend before its raging passion to sell
more beer. to have more places where
beer is sold. to extend, daily. monthly,
yearly the sweep of its noisome, Shiny
upon a wider circle of vic
tins. 1t controls elections that 1t may
have men in office who will favor Its
mahgn schemes. The men who are
subservient to 1t are naturally red ripe
for any scheme OF graft and corruption
There are great States in which the
Beer Lords have attained such COM
plete power that they have openly and
hautily dictated the nomination and
election of every officer from Governor
md Judges of the Supreme Court down.
This was the case in even such a great
State as Ohio not many years ago. when
he Beer Lords elected their attorney
Governor of the State. over j. B. For
iker and also elected three out of the
i've Justices Of the Supreme Court.
Let all decent men and women unite
% crush the deadly Despotism OF Beer.