The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-10
FORL1MOFTHE PEOPLE
To the Editor Of the Palladium:
/ A short story made long.

"A SuCTt StOTy mace long.
Old Wayne. one of the banner coun-
ties of the state. on the 22nd day of
August. 1908, gave the grandest Sun
day school parade and rally that ever
took place In the state of Indiana On
November 3, 1908. hundreds of our
voters sacrificed their respect for
their party. and on February 5. 1909,
done better still on their downward
way, sacrificed their respect for
themselves, their families and their
home-au for their King liquor.
Forgive them Father, they know not
what they do" Many were the men
who faithfully promised their wives,
the queen OF the home" to vote dry,
but at the polls gave away to their
weaker emotions and decided to stand
by the saloons, give them their money
and deceive their wives, rather than
give her portion of the money and
help cast out the saloons. Many were
the men who stood on the streets of
our towns throughout election day
6lAU GdSl uO SOlC 6AIApAy UCCAu0C tucy
were getting paid to veto instead OF
vote. Many were SO far sighter and
wise as to see our taxes raised. prices
Of products lowered and the business
Of our cities ruined Business had
better be ruined than to pay the bill
with human souls, as We are now.
These mind readers are our "moder-
ate" drinkers, speaking of them as
modest as possible. 1t was not the
taxes or anything, but their love for
the beverage easily told. They have
saved us the saloons for two more
years at least. Yes, the saloons. The
saloon is a place where intoxicating
liquors are sold to be drank over a
bar
"A bar to heaven, a door to hell.
Who ever named it, named it WE'LL"
About the bar cluster the drinking
and drunk, like flies around a sorg-
hum spout, good place for cut
Threats and thieves. The drunkard
is seen vainly searching his pockets
for the price of another drink, the
sober is urged to drink once more.
The saloon is q nice place. Yes. Nice
foot railing to rest your tired feet, a
bar to lean your elbow on, you lift the
first glassful and in q moment look up
through the bottom of the glass. that
glass calls for many more, the next
you realize you are going down the
street locked arms with a man with q
blue suit on, the next you hear is $40
and COSTS" and of all things that rings
in your ears the longest. For the
working man, it is not so much tku
drop in wages, as the drop he takes
after he gets the wages, that causes
trouble
THE saloon keepers all may be very
nice men.
l give them my money and wake in
the pen.'
The saloons patrons are usually on
the march to total depravity and it's
proprietor generally heads the pro-
cession. Its finished products are
lunatics, paupers and criminals. Nor
does 1t work alone, usually gambling
dens exist with 1t. Out of both no
real good has ever come. All pretend
ed pleasures are bats to entrap. Only
a short time ago in city l saw man
too drunk to stand alone. leave a sa-
loon, took few steps and fall, the
saloon man had watched him and
came to his rescue and the last saw
was leading him along. Would II not
be a delightful business to get to lead
your patients around over town. They
say the saloon is the poor mans club
Perhaps 1t is. I'm sure that his wife
and children think sometimes the club
Is at their house when the father
comes home and starts drunken
brawl. Before the election each side
predicted victory. If they had let