The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-05-06
lsIT RleHTTo TAX AN EvILl
By Rev. R. T. Webb.

This question Is asked In order to
bring to our attention the attitude of
this government and OF the American
people to the great and crying evil
known as the legalized saloon. While
this Is the case, It would refer as well
TO any other evil. We might us well
ask II IL Is right 10 sell cigarettes to
miners, tax houses OF III fame or al.
low men TO run gambling hells. for
i the sake of gain. We would be hor.
/ rlfled TO think Of running this govern.
Htent with money CLEANED from the
sale OF virtue Of the wOmannood, and
the very immortal souls of our moth.
ers, daughters and sisters, and yet, we
have been only too content to see, not
only the manhood. but In many cases.
the womanhood Of our land sacrificed
to run the saloon.
II by taxing this prenlclons evil.
we could cause Its death and over.
throw. would we have the rignt to do
SO? In this case, while accomplishing
a slow death. the money received
would be gotten In such manner
that a good, conscientious citizen
would fear to own It, as his Individual
bank account, lest the carst OF Al
mighty God should rest upon blood
money.
II this be The case, We feel sure
that, since the government II of the
people. for the people and by the peo.
pie that 1t. too. should have con.
science. a moral nature and a charac.
ter to respect and save. What Is a
government lglt great combination
and aggregation OF consclences?
Should not the government OF the Uni.
ted States Of America represent So.
100000 moral and Intellectual persou.
allties, and hence as many Judgment.
seats entnroned?) In view of these
facts. our government should hesitate
to use money and to control capital
that comes to her from n source con.
demned by the best thought and i'm.
pulse Of her citizenship, otherwise
how can We respect her, or what
amount TO the same thing, the men
who. largely control her movements
and shape her policies and destInles? j?
But so far from the tax system caus.
Ing the death OF this monster OF all
inlquities, 1t has been. and will con.
tinue to be, the parent who bore the
child and mas ever since nourished It
and fondled It, until It has become not
only a hydra.headed monster. but n
Chiliapus, as well, sucking at the very
fountains Of her national, civic, mu.
niclral and social Intellectual moral
and spiritual life. It Is unthinkable
and preposterous to say that. but for
the money there is In this business,
both to the government and to the In.
dividlual. the yoke would have been
long since thrown from American
shoulders.
Which then Is the greater problem
with which we have to deal In han.
ding this great question the appetite
that demands rum, or the covetous
principle that makes the wholesale
distillers and brewers manufacture:
the saloon keepers so Into the business
OF retailing and the United States
government, the State government and
the municipal government each 20
Into the business of sharing the prof.
/ It's?
We will all agree that two or three
generations Of prohibition would large.
ly destroy and even obliterate the ab.
normal appetite and passion for strong
drink which We see on every hand
and largely by reason healthy, nor.