The Newtown bee., 1908-10-16

SON PREACHED IN ST PAUL'S
 CHURCH.
 After seven years of war for inde. pendenee and six years of chaotic gov. ernment under the rule of a confed- eracy of states, loosely bound together, there went into effect in l7s9 a consti- tuition, which begins with the words, We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tram quillity, provide for the common de- fense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America" And cer- tainly this is grand and sublime be- ginning for one of the noblest docu- ments ever inscribed by nations representatives, giving us in nut shell, as it were, the great and noble purposes of the Constitution. which follows. And in most respects, the no- ble purposes of that Constitution have been fulfilled. For adhering to the principles 45 states are cemented to- gether in one. as so many sisters in a well regulated family, justice has in a measure been established, domestic tranquility has been provided for, pro- vision has been made for the common defense against foreign invasion, and the blessings of liberty have in very great measure been secured to our selves and posterity. Thus far the government, established under our national constitution cannot be im- peached. But has it promoted the general welfare of the people which it declares to be one of its objects? l claim that it has not promoted the gen. eral welfare of the people in the truest sense, because it has not protected the home and the family and the commit nity against the evil of the rum traffic, which in it's greed for the dollar quickly and easily gather, shut its eyes to the scenes of souls damned and hearts broken and homes ruined and children demoralized by the environ ment. l believe that government standing on such constitution, and thus delinquent its duty of promoting the general welfare of the people, ought to be impeached in the minds of all self-respecting people, who have the best interests or the community and the home and the individual at heart.
 And you naturally ask, why is our government to be impeached for con- dition in society, which is the natural result of the demand of depraved ap- petite? Why not impeach the vast number of men, who through a slavery to their appetite, are delinquent in their duty to themselves, their family, and society? The government ought to be impeached because it does not promote the general welfare of the people, by permitting traffic in and protecting the sale of that which has struck at the foundation of the nations strength. 1 mean the home and its happiness, and the general welfare of the individual. Of what account is it to the individual if there is a perfect union of the states if there is justice established, if there is peace within the borders of our coun- try, if our coasts are protected agairst invasion; if liberty is the watchword of our nation; I say of what account are all these to the individual i; if there is disunion in the family, in- justice in the home, war in household, invason of the enemy of happiness, and a slavery of the soul to the appe- tite? And all these pictures framed with the material out of which hell is made: despair, misery, wretchedness, degradation, vice, shame, remorse, tears, and the sufferings of the little ones for the sins of others?
 Our government is to be impeached. because it permits and encourages and protects by law traffic in the liquid fire, which subverts the promoting of the general welfare of the people. Two years after our noble constitution went into effect, there was passed law taxing, for the support of the gov ernment. the manufacture of spirit uous liquors, Later in our history, the state began taxing the sale of that which the national government had taxed the manufacture of. This was in the form of a license. permitting and protecting the sale. The consti- nationality of the license was ques- tioned. Therefore in 1847, the ques- tion was submitted to the Supreme Court for an answer. The Supreme Court, the interpreter of our nationtal constitution, sustained in is decision the state law requiring a license for the sale of spirltuous liquors. And for many years the federal and state gov- ernments, which are protected and fos- tered by the national constitution, and many municipalities have reaped vast revenues from the manufacture and sale of that article of commerce, that has not promoted the general welfare of the people. So that the greatness of our nation and states and cities, of which we boast, are in measure built up from the profits of a business that thrives on ruined lives, blasted hopes, the tears of wives and mothers and sis ters, and all the wretchedness and mis- cry and degradation that comes to in- dividuals and families and communities through the curse of rum. It is case or fatting the lion and making him more sleek and his roar more terrible, by feeding him on the flesh and blood of men and women and children.
 And when government or family of governments, which profess to be