The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-09-11
AN ELOQUENT PLEA
FOR PROHIBITION.

FOh fhOnlSitfOHs
Editor, Pensacola Journal
As the subject of prohibition is be-
ing SO interestingly and widely dis
cussed in your columns, /, too, would
like to join the discussion. In con-
sidering all the questions concerning
life and living, to be fair, one must
look at all sides. To be truly Just, we
must be logical; to be logical, we
must be without prejudice.
In the life of men and nations,
there can be no standstill or neutral
ground. There must be an upgrade
or downgrade movement in mental,
moral, political and religious life. All
conditions of all men are either gooa
or bad. There can be no middle
ground.
Now, taking these facts, which are
logical and true, We come to the
question before us. In the discussion
of any question, it is poor debater
who must bring in personal senu-
ments Il think" and II prefer and
for nay part have nothing to do with
convincing anyone. 1t is facts, cold,
hard facts, that will strike the spark
from the flint of opposition every
time.
If all men could take one drink
and no more, the cause of prohhbi-
ton would lose its greatest argument,
and this, We sadly know, is not true.
Alcohol so hardens the brain that
it's action is retarded, win power is
hopelessly weakened, the man or wo-
man becomes a slave and unable to
resist the all-compelEng thirst. Free?
A T. oil h. 1C
of slavery We see no sadder, more pitt
full or abject slave.
Do Intoxicating liquors benefit man.
kind? If so, in what way? Can man,
or woman, be a Christian or philan-
thropist, or friend to his fellows, and
do anything or say anything which
truly and absolutely ruins that per-
son who comes in contact with or is
influenced by them? Would anyone
wish to patronize, knowingly, a drunk
en- doctor. a drunken preacher, a
drunken teacher, drunken nurse, or
trust a lot of drunken men to build
him a house or do any work of any
value for him?
Will intoxicantS fit a man or unfit
him to perform the duties of life? If
you place the stumbling block of
temptation in the way of another,
what is your responsibility in regard
to his fall?
If the environment surrounding an
individual or community is not such
as eievates, improves, benefits and
makes happier, better and more use
fW that man, or that community, then
1T is conclusive fact that the en-
vironment is bad.
l knew of a man who started a
liquor business and would have made
money, but his own boys soon became
his best customers, and SO he wisely
closed up. It Just happened in this
case that it wasn't your boy, my
friend, nor nninei just happened, I
say. God pity that poor mother, wife
or child who sees son, husband or
father brought home drunk
l cannot denounce bitterly those
who sell Intoxicating liquors. They
could never have really considered the
facts, or they would not do so.
Many err from lack of thought,
from lack of really understanding a
thing, not from wicked and malicious
intent, but the fact of wrong-doing re-
mains. The repentance of Jeseph's
brethren, the wild despair of Judas,
availed them not.
For thirty pieces of silver"-or
high license. Is it true? Is dt true?
Have you, my country, my beloved
land, sold to the tempter the right
to enSlave, to ruin, to kill, my boy
for this poor sum?
Do you know that if all the expenses
caused by intOxication, such as police
courts, paupers, the building and
keeping of houses to hold criminals
caused, directly or Indirectly, by
liquor, the proper support of families
who are deprived of the benefit of
the means which should support them,
but is diverted into the channel of
the saloon if these, and al other ex-
penses, resulting from the use of in
toxicants, and now borne by states.
counties and individuals, were charged
to the saloons and they were com
PEELED to pay the bin, with the CON
sideration that all license, high or low.
should be removed from their BUSH
ness, there would not be saloon run
ming IN two years time. There would
be no money in it.
The suggestion that the county
needs the license money is an argu-
ment too uncomplimentary to the
county to be discussed.
LIZZIE LEE COLEY.
(FLORIDA PINE.)