The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-30

The Indictment OF the Saloon, an
arradgnment of the liquor traffic, by
Clinton II. Howard
"But the fearful, unbelieving, abom-
Unable, m,irderers, adulterers, sor-
cerers, idolators and all liars shall
have their part in the lake that burn
eth with fire and birthstone" (Rev.
21.8.) {.
Here in one verse Is an accurate
description Of the saloon business and
the divine sentence that Is to be ex-
ecuted against IT.. and on these
eight counts is the saloon indicted:
l.. AS a Coward. The saloon busl-
ness is a coward. 1t balTicades itself
behind stained glass windows, and
Opaque doors; II screens itself from
the public eye; 1t sneals its GUS
toners through blind door; 1t Is
the only business on earth that hires
a sentinel to guard the door against
the approach of an officer whose
mission is to enforce the law against
crime. The liquor traffic Is sneak.
1t markets its wares under n false
bill of lading; It sends its connden-
tial green goods circulars through the
mails. Offering to ship to private Gus
TONERS its distilled deceit IN dis
guised packages, without any marks
or brands to indicate the contents of
the boxes" So intolerable has this
sneaking method Of business become
that the state of Indiana has en-
acted a law prohibiting this dishon-
orable traffic from lying in its bills
Of lading and marking its poison
boxes with names OF wholesome arti-
cles of food and groceries
The saloon Is sneak and cow
ard. 1t strikes in the night: 1t
works under cover OF darkness: It
stabs the unarmed in the back; It
assassinates the character 1t cannot
debauch; 1t attacks defenseless wom-
anhood; 1t does not spare the nurs-
ing child
2. AS Thief. 1t is not the ordin-
ary police court offender who robs his
victim only of his purse. 1t does steal
that. but that is the least it steals.
1t strips him of his manhood, clothes
him In rags, takes away his health,
robs him OF his friends. loses his
occupation, burglarlzes his house,
robs his family, cheats his wife, inn
poverishes his children. 1t has stolen
the coffin from a dead child. The
saloon is thief. 1t will fake. the
shirt from the back of shiveling
man. 1t will steal~t the milk from the
breast of a weeping woman; 1t will
take the last crust of bread from the
hand of starving child. 1t will
rob the cellar of its last bucket Of
coal; 1t will steal the virtue from the
heart of the daughter; 1t will take
from widow her only son.
3. As an Infidel. 1t has no faith
fl God; 1t would close the church
and hang it's sign from the aban-
doned altars. 1t believes that every
man has his price and will sell out
his character when no one is watch
ing him.
1t builds its temples into prisons
and pauper houses and asylums: 1t
sacrifices human blood upon its alt
ars; its music is the song of the sir
en- and drunkard; its sermons are a
collection of lewd stories that are
mildewed with birthstone. 1t wraps
a mantale of Grape around every
human hope for this world and for
the world to come.
A., AS an Abomination. Its tables
are burdened with the vilest liter
ature; it's conversation puts prem
ium on obscenity; 1t ministers only
tn the basest human passions; 1t Is
the clearing house OF the moral sew
age of the natibn; 1t reduces god
like men to the level OF the brute
creation; it is the most abominal
occupation known to civilization.
&. AS a Sorcerer. Webster de-
fines sorcery as "collusion with dis
reputable spirits" a conhdential re-
lation with the demon creation; an
exhibition of the black art.
The saloon is the sorcerer of OIL
American society; 1t put one bac
spirit in collusion with another; 1t Is
tho rendezvous for the disreputabie
IT IA the sorcerer OF our American
politics; 1t practices the black art IL
our state legislatures; 1t organizes
the gray wolves in our city coun'
ellis: It brings into collusion ant
combination all the disreputable vot'
ers OF the city, state and nation.
g.. AS a Liar. The saloon is a u
ar.. 1t promises good cheer anf
brings SORROW; 1t promises health ant
brings disease; It promises prosper
ity and brings poverty: 1t promises
happiness. "but at the last 1t bitetl
like serpent and stingeth like al
adder"
1t sends the husband home with
lic 20 his waiting wife; it sends tn
son home with lie to his anxious