The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-06-14
BATTLE FOR BOOZE.
Palatka Saloon Interests Be.
gin Fight For Life.

| The issuance of large campaign
document by the executive commit.
tee of the Palatka saloon interests
and circulated this week, calls atten
tion to the fact that the saloon mer
of Palatka, aided by the liquor inter.
ests of the state and nation, are tc
make II hard fight to continue the
liquor business in Putnam county.
The big circular contains nothing
new. All the ancient literature
against prohibition has been resur-
rected and given publication, and in
addition there are two or three COM
munications signed by such promi-
nent people as "a Resident, ""A Tax
Payer" and "T. HI. K"
This first installment of booze lit
erature is sent out at this time in the
hope that it may frighten citizens,
with the cry of high taxes, from
signing the petition to the county
commissioners to call "wet or dry"
election in Putnam county. The cir
cular will have little effect upon
men who think. They know that
the saloon is not wealth producer.
They know that it is the prolific
source of both crime and poverty
be relied upon to Tighten the burden
of taxes, but, on the contrary, are
the chief cause Of high taxes.
1t is true the election will cost
money, but if it be successful it will
be the best paying investment the
people OF Putnam county ever made.
Its direct returns will be Low ER
TAXES, BETTER MEN, HAP
PIER WOMEN AND CHILDREN
and IMPROVED BUSINESS CON
DITIONS.
That is the result in other Florida
towns. Why not in Palatka2
1t il true that in some of the
northern communities quoted in this
saloon circular prohibition is not the
perfect success that its friends could
hope. The reason is found in the
fact that there are two political par
ties and neither dare enforce the law
for fear of losing the liquor vote.
But it's different in Florida. There
is but one party here. That is the
Democratic party. Fully 80 per cent
of the white democrats of Putnam
county are in favor of prohibition.
They will constitute the sentiment
that is to back Putnam county pro-
hibition.
Officers of the law will pay heed to
that sentiment. That insures the
laws enforcement.
But the News would call attention |
of readers to the pathetic appeal of |
one writer in this saloon circular |
"If you have tears to shed prepare
to shed them now
Hara 10 what Ona of thaca uoloop
writer's says:
"There is an old saying, let the
shoemaker stick to his last and ]
would say, let the minister stick to
his church and preach Christ and
Him Crucified, with the doctrine of
and love. The word of
God teachers temperance but not
prohibition There is wide differ
ance between the words temper
ance' and prohibition Examine
for yourselves: Christ taught tenn
perance in all things, but not prohi-
Dition. Why should the minister
add or try to add to the teachings of
Christ? | believe the teachings of
Christ to be full, complete and per-
feet. One can find passages in
Psalms and Book of Proverbs and in
The letters and writings of St. Paul
and advocating temperance
70 avoid excess, but not prohibition"
Such "slobber' needs no answer.
Even those people opatronize the
saloon will feel disgust when its
essay to eXpOund the
scriptures and point out the way of
iuty to those self-sacrificing men
who have made it, their life work to
'escue perishing human beings from
evil and point the way to right liv-
ng and triumphant end
Over l25 of the best business and
professional men in Palatka have al
'eady signed this petition. The wo-
men never did want the saloons here,
md men who once did are now sick
If them.
This liquor circular, now being
circulated in Palatka and through
Dut the county, is being mailed from
jhe saloon of Thos. H. Heating