The Press., 1909-10-06

For several months it has been our
privilege to address the readers #
The Press through this depa rimen. :.
Our aim has bean 20 slow them th,t
the crusade for tie promotion #
humsn welfare ny banishihR the
legaIized liqu If fl is a worl =
NOV ment. enc in which every civ =
liked nation is taking an active il =
terest and max ing latge and int r asirg
progress. At fist We called attention
to the significance of these facts in
the wine and beer drink hg countries,
where progress even more rapid than
in our ov n land is being made. Then,
as town meeting day dtCw near, We
Gel tsred our attention more ard more
upon the license question as a local
issue We tnleavoTed to show that
traffic which never at any time did
any man any coed, traffic which
Injuries every one of its atrons, and
diminishes their purchasing power,
their tax paying ability and their
power of self-support. besides lower
ing their standard of character, can
not be q good business for our town
to license. Especially have we en-
deavored to place before ,our readers
the fact that while the illegal sale of
liquor exists in response to a demand
of men who are already the slaves
of drink, and receives it's support
from suoh men, the legalized saloon
exists in part to create the appetite
Off drink, and can continue to exist
only as we feed it by contributing
boys and young men from the families
of Stafford Every word that We
have written has been written with a
single aim, to keep and to make the
conditions for the development of
manhood and womanhood in Stafford
at the highest possible level We
Lave gladly given our time and
thought to this end. and generous
friends have kindly contributed the
money necessary to put lish this de
parlm ms in The Press.
And now that the voters of Stat.
ford (ntt the people, but just the
voters have decided the question fer
another year, have decided that it is
wise TO t ZACH our boys and girls that
the liquor traffic is legitimate bust
ness; have decided that we can afford
to sell Invaluable possessions for the
sake of the license fees; have decided
that we can afford to be listed among
the less progressive communities of
our oountry-now that the question is
decided thus for year, We must say
with sincere regret that we must
say it-farewell to our many readers
and friends. .. .....
We have appreciated deeply the
many words of appreciation which
have come to us directly and Indirect
ly. We have enjoyed and profited by
the criticism, which has been less
than We expected and hoped for. We
are glad to know that a departments
devoted to the end to which we have
devoted this department. has found
regular and interested readers, and
has been considered worth while by
them.
We close with our hearty thanks to
all who have stood with us in our
efforts, and have made us feel the
fullness of joy which comes from the
kind of work we have been engaged
in
As we say farewell, we take this
last opportunity to correct what other
wise might grow to be a common
opinion or general impression. The
loss" by the decision of the town to
license the saloon is not our loss,
personally speaking. Nor is it true
that ''The No.Lioense League has
lost. - The loss falls on all the
people of Stafford, whose town has
now stepped backward from a CON-
munity Of first rank to one of lesser
rank. Whatever we may think of
the liquor traffic as individuals, all
must agree, we believe, that an i'm
partial Judgment pronounces those
communities which have banished
the traffic as among the first. GLASS
towns and cities. atgs 4{8E
But the loss falls greatest of all up.
on the homes which will be saddened
and even shattered by the advent of
the saloon In Stafford. The 4wiKaa.