Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-10-03
Personal Liberty and the Saloon

Inc cry OF personal llDefIy Is
continually raised by those who
are opposed to every form of re-
striction of the beverage liquor
trafi6.
They say men have a right to
drink what they please and when
they please, and that to try to pre-
vent their doing this is high hand
ed tyranny.
They claim, too, that all effort
to make men good by law is nom
sense, for it cannot be done.
These two statements are often
made in conjunction, and because
the last is true while the first con-
tains a half truth, they succeed in
clouding the real issue and so de-
ceiving many who ought to be
against the saloon. We want
therefore to clear the matter up in
the minds of our readers.
No individual has any right
is not subservient to the well being
of the state. To maintain the pub
lie we'll being the state can draft
men into into its army, "a de-
stroy life or property, can impris-
on citizens, can put them in quar-
antine, limit their occupation and
deny them the privilege of certain
kinds of food and drink. The
state is supreme. Its interests are
paramount and whatever course
its citizens might take that would
injuTe these it has a right to pre-
vent.
Hence the state says none of its
citizens shall have the privilege to
enslave other citizens or to con-
duct a lottery, run a gambling den
or house Of prostitution. If it can
be shown that a saloon in its in
fluence upon society is against the
we'll being of the state, the state
has a perfect right to close it up.
The question is not one of right
but one of influence and utility.
If the saloon is detrimental to pub
lie well being, if its influence is
immoral, if it corrupts individuals,
if it impairs the productive capa-
city of men, if it impoverishes the
home, it ought not to be permit
ted to exist because it's presence
initiates against the best interests
of the state.
Having admitted that the saloon
is against good morals, as has
been done over and over again by
the Supreme Courts of the nation
and many states, there is nothing
in the world left for law-abiding
citizens who respect the voices of
the judiciary of the land but to
strive and have the laws of the
land as restrictive as possible
against the saloon. For the courts
to declare that the saloon is the
greatest source of vice and crime
known to our American life, and
then for citizens not to engage in
earnest efforts to close it up would
be proof that those citizens coun-
ternanced and encouraged the I'M
doing of the state. 1t would evil
dence q condition of affairs bor-
dering on treason. True patrio-
tism demands that citizens try to
have the laws eliminated from the
body polite which the courts de-
clare harmful to the we'll being of
society.
In seeking therefore to secure
the restriction or prohibition of
the liquor traffic, temperance peo-
pie are not trying to interfere with
any ones personal liberty, but
simply to safeguard the state
which is every citizens first great
duty.
To say to any nan "you cannot
keep a saloon, or sell liquor or
give it away for men to drink" is
simply another way of saying to
them you cannot iniure the state
by impairing the manhood of its
citizens.
Temperance workers never
think to make men good by law.
Such is not the idea of legislation
restricting the saloon. The
thought is rather to prevent some
men from making others bad by
law. Men are not made honest,
virtuous or frugal by law. These
qualities result from moral train
ing. But in order to encourage
honesty, virtue, frugality and
other good qualities in citizenship
laws are made rigidly restricting
all dishonest, immoral and swind-
ling practices.
Restrictive laws against the sa-
loon are for the same purpose.
They are simply to prevent per-
sons from doing harm to their
fellows.
Once understood, the end and
aim Of the Anti Saloon League
workers is seen to be the most
sane, the most patriotic and reas-
enable thing in the world.
All who put the public veal
above personal greed and moral
principles above lust and appetite,
must agree that to destroy the in
tluence of the saloon is to upbuild
mankind.
There are ten thousand employees
OF the Sears Roebuok Company,
Chicago, and each of these is d
total abstainer. The neighbor-
hood Of this great establishment
isunder local option.
The only true constipation cure
must begin its soothing, healing
action when it enters the mouth.
HOLSTERS Rocky Mountain Tea
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