Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-01-09
Muir. Mich, Jan. |. 1905

ers doubt the inherent crnlnalty OF The
ones right to take drink or let it alone.
but the ever present cold fact that the
liquor traffic is the greatest source OF
crime and is itself criminal. IN the utter
disregard Of the laws made for its CON
duct" Let us lock at the following few
clippings taken (, random from the daily
papers: In St Franc syIe. La in a
trial for murder. the attorney for the de-
PENDANT spent his whole time in an appeal
to the jury TO bring about prohibition. to
save oih-rs from the fate OF the muir
troit Journal Of Jan |, 9C6. A Port
Huron father is sung ssloonkeeper Tor
running his boys ilfs, the boy being SEN
fenced to Ionia prison ficm tive to ten
years for theft The Detroit Journal, IN
a resume of the thirteen murders in Mlcn-
lgan during the year. declares. drink
responsible for most OF hem re Farm
Herald published in limos. referring TO
the same matter. says. The surest and
quickest way to reduce crime aid family
troubles is to cut out the boz Zs. shut up
the grog shop and stop the sale of beer
and liquor, if you would have an orderly.
peaceful, prosperous town. In reporting
the mining disasters in Pennsylvania, it is
added that many OF the miners drank to
excess TO drown their sorrow; all night
long there was carouslng and almost rot
lng. The calling Of state troops and the
closing OF the saloons are being con-
sidered seriously
But the foulest deed the saloon does is
the running of pure girhood for It's infa-
nous and vile purposes Neither do we
have to read between the lines OF the
daily papers to see how many thousands
of these innocent girls are being sacrificed
upon its affairs Of shame and sin every
year Let me quote but one case: TIE
asst words of Minnie Clark, who recently
died in Brooklyn, Let me warn one ard
all. beware of beer Beware of novels
and shun the saloon; these have wrought
my downfall. As you look upon my form
say, the American saloon finished its
work in destroying Minnie Clark The
usual steps are then pictured. leading to a
| life Of shame and despair and then death
Parents, what If the saloon gets your
daughter next? Surely no one is safe
1T is because the American people
have al last commenced TO recognize the
true nature of this helsh traffic, that the
rising toe OF prohibition is sweeping from
| Georkil 10 the Northwest. But ! am re-
minded that the prohibition VIII not pro
hoit. Wei, no body says It will We
have law against stealing, and yet with
in the last month several stores in Muir
have been burg al zed and the last victim
is no less person than the village presi-
dent Now Why don't men Understand
that the law will never stop the theip
The thing to 90 is 10 regulate the matter.
! Let the license be put 20 high that only
men of good character AID uprghtness
will be engaged IN II, then let the hours
and the manner and the wouic be victims
DE al specified, so that the business can
+ o- undsr the wdlchful eyes OF the officials
/ Now have no doubt some would be thieis
will oe glao 10 hsp US pay the school
tax 5 ara Other taxes by paying portion
Of their boooie over 10 US, just as the
! liquor traffic is willing and glad to 90
| This is the whole question IN a nut shell.
Now il is a we'll known fact that The
Republican party policy is to perpetuate
the LIQUOR traffic, under various pretexts
The Democratic party, likewise, favors
the pei petuation Of the liz or traffic Can
an honest voter help to see that his vote.
if cast for any Of these parties, means and
is understood by the powers that he TO
favor the continuation of the liquor traffic.
I. erefore. To the extent Of his vote, he is
Responsible not only for les continuation,
but Of necessity for all the misery. pain
and wretchedness that it produces. On
the other hand, vote for the Prohibition
party has but one meaning, w, absolute
death To the evil traffic. aid even II It
does lot at once accomplish its purpose.
II helps TO swell mighty tide Of senti-
ment and frees the voter forever from all
pa tnership in the quor traffic and It's
consequer ces. That IS why 1t is such a
| j,y to vote the Prohibition ticket strai ght.
There is no mistaking what that means
on the liquor question. Dear reader,
what does your ballot spell in regard TO
the perpetuatlon or the abolition Of the
criminal traffic?
Sincerely.
V. X Beshgetoor.