Middletown transcript., 1907-02-02
Published by request.
WHAT RUM DOES

Colonel Robert Ingersol, lately em-
ployed in a case, which involved the
manufacture OF ardent spirits, and in his
speech to the jury lie used the following
language:
"I am aware there is great prejudice
against any man engaged in the manu-
facture of alcohol. | believe from the
time it issues from the coiIed and poison
GUS worm in the distiIlery until it empties
into the hell of death, dishonor and
crime. that it is demoralizing to every
one that touches it, from lie source TO
where it ends.
II do not believe tia. any one can coln-
prehend the subject without being preju-
diced against the crime All we nave TO
do is to think Of the wrecks on either
side of the stream of death, of sCaeiues,
of the insanity, of the poverty, 5f the
destruction, of the little children tugging
at the breasts of the despairing wives,
asking for bread, Of the men Of zen us it
has wrecked, of the struggling with im~g-
mary serpents prUdLced BY the devil sh
thing and when you think Of the lls,
of the almhouses, OF the asy Ii M, oil lhs
prisons and of the scaffolds OH eithsr side,
/ do not wonder that every thougirtfuI
man is prejudiced against the vile stuff
called alcohol. Intemperance cuts down
youth in its vigor, manhood in its strength
and age in its weakness.
"It breaks the fathers heart, bereaves
the doting mother, extlngulshes the
natural effection, grasses conJugal love,
blots out filial attachment, and blights
parental hope, and brings premature age
IN sorrow to the grave. 1t produces
weakness, not strength sickness, not
health death, not lie. 1t leeds rheu-
matism, nurses gout, welcomes epidemics,
embraces consumption, invites cholera,
imports pestilence, covers the land with
misery, idleDess and crime. 1t engen-
ders controversies, fosters qnarrels, cher
ishes riots. 1t crows yonr penitentiTies
and furnishes victims for the scaffold. 1t
is the blood of the gambler, and element
of the burglar, the prop Of the hlgway-
men and the support 4 the idHight
incendiary.
''It countenances the liar, respects the
thief, esteems the blasphemer. Ii vio-
lates obligations, reve: ences fraud, hates
love, scorns innocence and virtue.
1t incises the father to take the life OF
the helpless offspring, and the children
to grind the paircidal axe. 1t burns up
men, consumes women, detests lie, curses
God and despises heaven.
1t suborns witnesses, nurses pefhdlty,
detiles the jury box, and stains the judi
cial ermlne. 1t bribes voters, disqnalllles
votes, corrupts elections and endangers
the government. 1t degrsdes the citizen,
debases the legislature, dlshohors the
statesman, and dlshonors the patriot.
1t brings shame, not honor terror, not
safety dispair, not hope misery, not
happiness and with the nIalevolence oil
field calmly surveys its irightful desc
lation, and unstained with havoc, 1t wipes
out national honor, curses the world and
laughs at its ruin. II does more-it
murders the soul. 1t ia the sum OF ali
villainies, tile father OF all crimes, the
mother of abominatiop, the devils best
friend and Gods worst enemy.
The above was written by man who
has been called an atheist, an "agnos-
tic" an "inIideI,' and, almost ever, thing
else by religious people, but, right here,
this writer asks the readers of The TRAN
SCRIPT to compare the above with The
actions OF some church people 81 this
town-Communicants-w sign appi-
cations for license to sell liquor, and sign
petitions TO the court 10 grart license
Now then draw comparison between
the talk OF "Ingersoi'' and their acts-il
it will admit Of comparison, ! do net
think il will-in tr,ing {" make bore
candidates for bell BY pra,ing the Court
to put more tenpiatiou in lie way Of
boys and weak men. i : bad enough
for men to have no n,art thought or care
for the welfare Of iIieir feilowmen, but
ii finitely worse trr women, who are Or
may become, wives and mothers. May
God help IL 10, and girls nov growing
to manhood aud wonanlood il lhe Eqnor
traffic is not abated. -