The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-11-19
w. @. T. u.
NEED FOR SOBER THINKING
DEPARTMENT


ing editorial:
In Los Angeles a young lawyer Of
brilliant prospects took to drink. Prof
ligacy and crime followed in the wake
Of his surrender to the whiskey habit.
A fugitive from his home city he
came TO Chicago, wasted such money
as he had, ran as far into debt as pos
sible and then attempted to rob q
hank. Failure in that desperate en-
terprise caused him to lake his own
life TO escape arrest.
He was weak. He was a good fell
low" Now he is dead. He leaves a
mother and a young wife to mourn
him. The mother of this man, Lamar
Harris, says of her sons death:
4 consider that Lamar died in real
ity long before he ran away from this
city. and that which is dead in Chica-
go Is a mere shell of my boy, and
what was once a brilliant, noble, man
~ man. OF the terrible victories that
alcohol has won over mankind this is
perhaps the most pitiful and awful"
II is one of those victories which
ought to give rise to quite as much
sober thinking as a temperance pa
rade.
Verify. The incredible truth is that
such cases are so common that few
persons except those Immediately con-
cerned give them very much notice.
Here. again, is a fact that should
cause sober thinking.
And whittier shall our sober think
ing lead us? Here is drug that by
The very number of its crimes has
dulled our senses to their enormity;
a drug so powerful that the slightest
taste Of il is danger, so deceiving
that its victim thinks himself master
until he is hopelessly bound. What
shall We do with it? Shall we go on
allowing men to make it and sell it in
it's most attractive forms? Shall we
continue TO build our cities with the
revenue from licensing its sale. and
talk idly Of regulating" it. while it
daily takes its toll of bodies and
minds and souls?
When viii the men who write and
the men who read such editorials as
the one We have quoted follow their
sober thinking to its only sane con-
clusion?
The Alaska ukon-Pacihc EXPOSE /
ton has proved TO be quite as impor-
tant and influential as its name sug
gests, and its marvellous success is I'M
iversally acknowledged. The Seattle
people generously prepared for great
things and have not been disappoint-
ed. The West Washington w. c. T.
U. maintained headquarters with an
attractive booth and rest room and
displayed a fine exhibit of w. c. T. U.
literature. The union also conducted
a most successful W. c. T. Z. day,
with largely attended meetings in the
fine auditorium, which has a seating
capacity of $500. We heartily thank
and congratulate our West Washing
ton comrades and we are glad the ma
tional w. c. T. L. could have little
part in helping them.
The exposition merited and receiv-
ed the patronage of temperance peo-
pie, for no intoxicating liquors were /
sold on or near the grounds. To he
sure the sale of liquor is prohibited
on the campus OF Washington Univer-
sity where the exposition was held,
but II could have been located else
where had liquor selling been consid-
cred a necessary tatraction or bene-
a.. This great fair will be remember
ed not alone for what it has done in
exploiting the natural resources of
the splendid frontier and of Alaska,
Hawaii, the Philippines and the Pa
cifc slope of Canada, but for the pow
erful influence of the philanthropic
and reform meetings held in the expo
sition auditorium.-From President
Stevens Annual Address.