The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-10-08

oDeyed.
Society is moving forward and the
saloon must move forward or be out
lawed. The edict has gone forth that
men must be sober If they would be
free and few men will now contend
that a man possesses an inherent
right to overthrow his reason
The edict hrs gone forth that
saloons must obey all laws.-that they
must not sell to intoxicated men, nor
to habitual drunkards, nor to minors
that they must not exhibit improper
pictures. nor connect themselves with
Gambling resorts-in word that
the saloon must not be a nuisance
The press of the country has so
declared: the ministers have so de-
clared: the Law and Order Leagues
have so declared; the great conser-
vative element in society has so de-
clared
These forces for good are all power
f., in society ana our trade cannot
afford to oppose them
II would be foolish for us TO oppose
them even though we could do SO
successfully, because the demands
they are making are our demands
Our trade needs a house cleaning
and we should aid the good work
along. The saloon that is run in vio-
lation of the law or of decency should
be put out of business and the better
a,ameut i'm the trade should continue
to lead the reform.
A saloon should be decent resort
II should be the working mans eluo'
il should inculcate real temperance;
n should give thought, first OF all
to the welfare of its patrons; II
should consider the home, the wiie
and children; it should seek to ele-
waite and not degrade those who Visit
If and If it is run in Violation of law
its license should he Cancelled.
Could such conditions do harm TO
the business? Is it Improbable 10
he decent: TO be law abiding; TO be
kind; to do unto others as you would
have them do unto you? We think
that all of this would pay-and II
would relieve the business of odium
and it would permit prohibition to die
a happy and peaceful death.
do not write this letter through
any fear of prohibition, because an
experience of more than a half cen
tury tells us that prohibition VIII not
nrcbibit and common sense tells us
that prohibition win not prohibit ana
the statistics of the Internal Revenue
Denartment show conclusiyely that
prohibition does not prohibit, but
write because l think the saloon Is
liable to ne superseded by unlawful
sellers of alcoholic beverages, as is
the case now in all prohibition terri
tory. and because 1 think the saloon
can be and should be a desirable
and not an undesirable factor in
society.
write it because | think the
press is right, because ] think the
law and order leagues are right, be-
cause l think the ministers who teach
what the Bible teaches are right,
because think the great conser-
vative element OF society is right
write It because l know that the
larger majority of the saloon keep
ers want to obey the laws; want to
see their business elevated; want to
bid the drunka-d an eternal farewell
and it is my hope that in the not
distant future every saloon keeper
who favors law. order, decency and
temperance will join the National
Model License League and VIII
stand as we stand with the real
forces of reform and fully abreast
of the most advanced public senti-
ment
It. NJ. GILMORE. President,
National Model License League