The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-01-14
THE BOOZE AND
SALOON QUESTION

flushed the cheeks of many an old bag
burnt up in her bed from lighted
cigarette. owing to alcoholic coma. To
the boy Of yesterday, the man of to-
day, booze whispers alluringly, try
me-" often with the result that many
a promising young man has felt as
much at home in a darkies' blind tiger
as in a club for gentlemen. such a
caste leveling, democratic friend is
booze.
| Since the earliest times booze has
taken toll Of it's friends, has devOured
men and women, running them in body
and mind. oblterating their self-re-
spect; consuming them with shame
and remorse. Yet SO many staunch
friends has booze had that laws have
been made to protect it and cherish it
ltenderly. With so many devOtees on
one side and 50 many brought down to
the cutters, reduced to the very dregs
Of humanity, on the other side. it is
difficult for us to form a just opinion
Of booze. hence every now and again
we read Of narcotics and alcohol and
the influence of drugs, dope and dis
ease on the individual. Alcohol is
lepigrammatically termed a vice. pro-
ducing disease and disease producing
vice. Some suggest municipal lock-
hospitaly for the reception Of drunk
ards, others the adjustment of sa-
looms, Some suggestions are based on
humane principals and scientific lines,
the result of much deep study and
painStaking investigation. In the main
one must agree that alcohol is a cause
Of degeneracy, that it is the causative
factor in the production of much of
| the crime of the world. Now, admit
ting the facts stated above, in order
to accomplish the greatest good for the
largest number Of our citizens, let it
not be forgotten that broad minded
views are refreshing, when there is an
entire lack of that sloppy sentiment
with which society is prone to enwrap
the saloon and the drunkard
Those Emphatic males who preach
a short drink and a long thirst and
who feed the worlds under dogs
u dllO SpltIllH SOHSS, Viii IOll
| their eyes and regret the activity of
some in puncturing their beautiful
bubbles of beneficient prohibition
brotherhood. Nevertheless, whatever
may be the opinion of the cheerless
saloon wrecker. the adoption of a
moderation in eating. as we'll as in
drinking, would do much to bring the
immature criminal into closer touch
with society, and the dangers of a
practical touch" to society would be
materially lessened.
Now, readers, as far as the saloon
question is concerned, persons Of all
classes come under two divisions:
1. Those without headaches, many of
whom are shouting. Merry New
Year. prosperous New Year. Here
is to YOU" etc; g Those with head
aches, who often say ITO hell with
BOOZE" Smash the saloon" Just
give me soda water and bromo seltz-
err"
Sometimes there is more temperance
taught by an alcoholic headache than
by many a prohibition sermon. Those
who awaken in the morning, at first
feeling grateful, judging by the state
OF their feelings. that death apparently
Is about to end their sufferings, until
the anguishing thought comes that
they are to live to endure it ALL after
a night devoted to booze, who will
not learn their temperance lesson in
this way, are not apt to get any tenn
perance principles legislated into them.
Those who are moderate in all things
are moderate, but the drunkard gen.
orally gets his booze, saloons or no sa-
looms, just as the morphine fiend finds
some way of getting and secreting
morphine.
The professional refOrmer, amateur
sociologist and the shepherds of fOcks
do well not to try to put the F'ranken-
Stein-bOOZe-out of business by driv-
ing passenger-carrying-w water wagon
over its tail, as often the conscience of
many an ardent prohibitionist' gets
jolted and he drops off the water
wagon. realizing how narrow and
higoted had been his views Of life,
how homeless had been his theories.
Moreover the blotting out of a neigh
bor's business often strips prohibition
naked Of it's SNUG charity and self
esteem and shows it to men in all it's
gelatinous emasculated impotence.
Yours very respectfully,