The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-18

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ana b manner 81 cnndpc ms 4 81
prevalent IN tn s country, The latter
only could j reproye ana condemn.
Nov, l think / have fnlly exposed
my views concerning the liquor tramc
as II exists in this country In conclu-
sion may / add what might he the
remedy against such a crying evils
The best diagnosis Is vain II a good
and practical prescription is not adj
ded. / cannot agree with Prohibition
lists that the closing Of licensed ga.
looms is such rcmedy. It Is too rad
ical in principle and in practice 1t has
certainly proved to be iheticacious.
Yet the traffc can be controlled
and restricted by due authority. The
number Of saloons in given COM
munlty should be fixed by law; no
more Saloons should be allowed than
what is deemed necessary for a legiti-
mate trade. No. one should be allowed
to keep a saloon unless he is known to
be law abiding citizen. The moment
he has proved the contrary, his license
should be Withdrawn and given to
another. am not in favor of very
high license; this frequently causes
the barkeeper to forget that he has
sny conscience. Money he must make
in order to meet that exorbitant tax:
in order to do so. he will make drunk
ards. will resort to adulteration and
to other dishonest or immoral practi-
ces.
The traffic should besides be duly
controlled; the tax and license collect
ed by the Federal. State and city gov
ernments impose upon them correla-
tive obligation. The people must ba
protected against inscriptions deal
ers: the laws and statutes must be
duly enforced. Those laws In our
State are certainly excellent, but un.
der the dome of this court house. do
not hesitate to say. they are not en-,
forced by the proper authorities, and
in this | fnd the greatest cause Of
the spread Of the saloons immorali-
ties. When public officials become the
accomplices Of the saloonkeeper, they.
no less than he, become seriously gulf,
ty before God. But politicians must
get votes and barkeepers must get
money, and Gods law and human law
become secondary considerations.
This is the hardest vicious circle for
honest reformers to break through and
no reform will be possible until we
get out OF 1t. Let us therefore lay
down the ak at the root of the tree,
and strike. Reform politics II you
want to reform the public morality.
When 1t can be said as 1t was once
gaid in another republic; omnia
yenunt Romae! Everything in Rome
is for sale) 1t is time for the true low
GERS Of this country to band together
against political corruption, the true
danger that now imperiIs this great
land, once the land of the free and
the brave, but now-Excuse me. had
made up my mind in stepping up to
this platform that would not toucn
politics. The Holy Writ tells US it is
not good to handle pitch!
Well, to come back to my prescrIp-
ton: Let us, if possible try to re-
strict. control and by duly enforced
laws moralize the liquor traffic; but
let us not stop there. The main work
to be accomplished is the moral and
religious education of the child and
of the citizen. In every family as
well as in every school room and from
every pulpit must be re.echoed the
words of st. Paul to his faithful dis
ciples, Titus and Timothy: Teach old
men, teach young men. teach women
to be SOBER" to control their animal
passions. Teach them that self con-
troll and especially the control of our
lower appetltes is the necessary con-
ditions Of true christion life. Those
that are Christ's have crucifed their
flesh with it's vices and concupis-
censes." zeal. ". PAD "If you live
according to the flesh you shall die;
but If by the spirit you mortify the
deds of the flesh you shall live"
CRom. VIII, 1S)