The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-10-28
An APPEAL TO YOUNG MEN.
FROM THE COMMITTEE OF LOCAL OPTION

have written unto you, young men, be
cause We are strong. u. John, II.
We appeal toyou, young men of Hun
terdon county, to help us in the war
fare which we are waging against the
enemy that lies entrenched behind the
legalized saloon. We do not ask you
now to join our organization; we only
ask that you will cast your influence
and your vote, when occasion shall de-
mand it, against that common foe of all
things that are right and pure and true,
the traffic in strong drink We want
you to be WITH US and not AGAINST US
in the effort which is now being made
to drive the liquor power from this COM
munity. We appeal to you because
ye are strong-strong in young man.
hood, strong in your hopes and ambi-
tons, strong in your desires to lead
honorable and useful lives. We appeal
to you, with great hope and confidence,
because we believe that many of you
are ready and willing to enlist in any
cause that promises to lead you upward
in the world, that promises to advance
your best and highest interests. We
believe that all that many of you need
is the word of invitation to range your
selves on the right side in this battle
against the powers OF evil and of dark
ness.
That word of invitation we now give
YOU No worthier cause ever enlisted
the hearts or the minds of men than
that to which you are now called. As
to the knights Of the olden time, SO
now to you comes the call to defend
the weak, to protect the helpless, and
to destroy the enemies of virtue and in
noeence. The field is before you for
Drawer deeds and nobler sacrifices than
were ever performed in the days of
chivalry. The enemy you have to meet
is powerful and crafty, arrogant, cruel
and merciless, full of wiles and subtle
ties. He is strongly entrenched in law
and custom, and his overthrow will de
mand the exercise of your noblest en-
ergies and your highest powers. Every
interest that is sacred and dear to the
heart ofman-the interests of the home,
OF the hreside, of the family, OF the
Church of Christ, urges you to engage
in this conflict against the monster evil
of the age, the traffic in strong drink.
As surely as God lives and reigns, the
day is coming, and we believe it is not
far distant, when this evil will be over
come and swept from the face of the
earth. Our cause must triumph in the
end, because it is just and because it
is right. Would you be sharer in the
fruits of the coming victory, come and
help us now.
AS sensible and practical young men
We ask you in all candor, can you give
any good reason why you should not
array yourselves on the side of the home
and against the saloon1 What can you
hope to gain by giving any encourage
ment or any measure of your influence,
however small, to the rum traffic /?
What can it promise you or do for you
that you should court its favor or own
its allegiance Judging the traffic by
the results of it as seen in our own COM
munity what is there in it that
should attract the support of any intel
ligent, honorable or self respecting
young MANI Many Of you know, as
well as we do, what the traffic has done
for some men in this community, how
it has degraded, brutalized and ruined
them body and soul. Many OF you know,
as well as we do, what the ,raffice has
done for many homes in this commune
~, how it has brought upon them heavy
burdens Of sorrow and misery-how it
has destroyed their peace and happi-
ness. You know, as well as We do,
that fully two-thirds of all the crime and
poverty in this community is traceable
to the grog-shops. You know, as well
as We do, that the saloons are schools
Of vice and shame, that the very atmos-
phere OF them Is fatal to virtue and true
manliness. You know, as well as we
do, that the leading themes of CONVEX
sation and all the associations of the
saloons are such as no honorable young
man would dare bring into his home or
into the presence Of those whom he
loves and respects We implore you
to come out and declare yourselves
openly and boldly against that chief
agency Of Satan, the rum traffic.
Yours fraternally,