The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-06-03

attached TO its violation, and II were
enforced with like rigor, is there a
good reason for thinking that it would
be less effective than the injunctions
against perjury, theft and murder?
rs it not quite likely that in the
disposition of the law and public SEN
timent toward drunkenness. as COM
pared with the attitude toward theft
| is to be found cause for the preva-
lence of the one and comparative rar-
ity of the other? May it not be a
grievous error in the education of the
child that makes him more likely to
become a drunkard than theft
A Fundamental Error.
| "Mr. Conrad here points out what
believe to be fundamental error on
the part of our prohibitionists: that
they coddle the drunkard and throw
all blame on the saloonkeeper. So
ciety at large condones the misdoings
of the drunkard and spares him the
condemnation as it spares no other
offender against the peace and hap
piness of the community.
Have we not fallen into the habit?"
says Mr.. Conrad while anathamizing
the drink seller of coddling the
law shut their eyes when the drunk
ard offends, shield him from expos
ure, and when driven to it, infict
upon him the least trifling of pun
ishments?
''The Canton. minimum fine for
drunkenness is a dollar and costs; if
one dollar and costs were the fine for
theft do you suppose there would be
much more stealing than there is now?
do we not pose the drunkard be-
fore the public as walking, witless,
mindless thirst? An incarnate appe-
tite, incapable of resisting it's own in
clinations? A human 'jelly-fsh which
must fall to pieces in the atmosphere
Of temptation?
"An anthropological sensitive plant
which will wither at the touch of the
tempter? A wobbling week-kneed soft
shelled soul which must be shielded
from all the blasts that try and tempt
manhood?
May it not have happened that
misplaced pity, and the excuse we
make for him, have made of the
drunkard a petted sinner who is en-
couraged to go on SHINING on other
mems credit? Do we not pity and pal
late where we should arrest and pros
ecute? is it not true after all that
the drinking of intoxicants is vol
untary act and that in the main men
get drunk of their own yolition?
when we winnow from the chaff
of sophistry and lurid rhetoric the
grains of fact We do not find that
the beverages which intoxicate are
not poured down the threats of men
bound hand and foot helpless yet pro-
testing?
When we divest ourselves of an
abnormal sentimentality, and consid-
er drunkenness its proper relation to
the peace, happiness being Of man
kind, do we find it to be more pitiable
than is theft? Is depraved appe-
tite any better excuse for drunken
ness than is inborn Cupidity for steal
ing, or brute passion for outraging
virtue? Can anything be urged in ex-
tenuation of vice of drunkenness that
does not apply with equal force to all
offenses that men commit?
"As intemperate legislation seems
to have failed entirely to accomplish
its object and purpose, would it not
be wise experiment to promote tem-
perance by ceasing to try to lock up
society to protect the drunkard, and
try locking up the drunkard to protect
society?
The Real Problem.
"In my estimation Mr.. Conrad has
brought out in forceful manner the
real problem that confronts society:
the problem of dealing with drunken
ness in such manner as to reduce the
tendency as much as possible. Locking
up society to protect the dTunkard il
too radical means. and to attempt
to do it has resulted disastrously to
} every community that has tried to dc
, it, except in limited areas contiguous
to city, as the Hyde Park district
in Chicago, where the people keep the
saloons out of their residence dis
tricts and go into the city to buy what.
ever drinks they desire.
Something less radical than prohi.
bition must be the final solution oi
the temperance question. The people
must come to recognize what rea
temperance is, to distinguish between
temperance and total abstinence be
fore they can even legislate intel
ligently on the subject.
"At present the so-calIed advocates
do not discriminate at all between
beer and light wines which have
small percentage Of alcohol in them
and whiskey or alcohol. They class
all together as whiskey and. rum. II
my opinion to encourage the drinking
of beer and light wines and to dis
courage the drinking Of whiskey AM
liquors of high .alcohoI percentage
! would be a step in the real direction
of real temperance. Germany has
law Il at forbids treating; some regu
lation OF the treating habit would @
: long ways toward the promotion o
: real Temperance.
"As Rev. w. A. Wasson, rector O
e the Episcopal church at Riverhead