The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-08

their bondage, are called upon to-
bear their portion of the new burden
imposed to make good the loss of
revenue and to, assist in the enforce
ment of laws that they abhor?
What would 1t mean to labor?
II is a statistical fact that the man
ufactre sale of intoxicating bev-
erages, directly and indirectly, insures
employment to 100000 operatives.
Prohibition would operate to with
draw that employment and as a re-
suit that vast number of Industrious
hands would be driven into other
fields of industrial endeavor, already
filled to capacity. with an overflow
walking the country up and down
WEEKLY TWO
seeking work. Not only that but
how many thousands in that great
mass haye - served apprenticeships
and learned trades to which they
have devoted years of service and in
which they have grown expert? And
shall these trades. be sacrificed, and
must those years be lost, and must
those men begin anew the game of
life with their best years behind
them? And what of those others
who are now employed in other
branches of labor? The circumfer-
ence of the circle inclosing their OPP
portunities has been constantly mar
rowing through the employment of
labor saving devices, and now they
will be called upon to divide the frac-
tion they have left with the destitute
legions turned empty. handed into
the world by our prohibition friends.
Stern necessity knows no law and
and an empty stomach does not stand
upon etiquette when a grab for food
must be made to sustain life. The
unemployed will have employment
even though competition must be the
cudgel welded to secure it. and that
means lower wages for all.
What would it mean to agriculture?
The brewers, maltsters and distil-
iers each year consume from the
farm 36.5O0,OOO bushels of corn,
worth $27,OOO,OOO; 62,5OO,OOO bushels
of barley, worth $42,O00,O00 $780,
600 bushels of rye, worth $35O0,000;
sugar products, hops and assorted
grains worth $16,OOO,OOO, and hay,
oats and by-products of grain, $780,
100000. 1t means $lO9,000,000 paid
for these farm products; it means de-
mand for those products and cores
ponding broadening of the farmers
market Cut off that demand and the
market must contract in like proper
ton.
These last years have indeed been
kind to the farmer. Prosperity has
blessed him and plenty has been gem
erous to him. Good prices have re-
years ago and his feet have been set
in Easy street, and l am here to as
sert that no industry has contributed
more to make those splendid prices
and thereby contribute to the farm
ers' well being than has this great
And ! assert further, that no state
has profited more by those prices
than has the prohibition state OF Kan
sas. Agriculture is her buckler and
her shield Fifteen years ago hel
farms were plastered with mortgages.
God gave her farmers plenteous crops
and the industries of the country, in
Guiding those l mention here, gave
them the highest prices for farm pro-
duce they had known since the civil
war. The mortgages are satisfied,
her per capita capital has exceeding
ly multiplied, her bank deposits have
increased magnificently, but it wasn't
prohibition that did it. Nay, nay! 1t
was God who gave the crops and the
industries of the nation that gave the
market!
What would it mean to railroad
earnings?
Who will attempt to measure the
tonnage of raw materials coming in,
and the tonnage of finished products
going out? l have neither data nor
statistics before me upon which
may draw for definite information
nor is it necessary, for all who OBJ
serve what is transpiring about them
may form estimate sufficiently com
prehensive to answer the purpose of
this argument.
Stand by the side OF the great
transcOntinental lines and watch the
long, sinuous trains following the
trail of steel across the burning des-
ert sands and ehrough the grandeur
of mountain scenery, toward the land
of the setting sun; or by the side of
the busy trunk lines that travel, past
beautiful landscapes and over laugh
ing waters, ever eastward toward the
horizon from whence the sun5eams
throw their kisses to breaking day;
and northward into the realm of the
ice king; and southwark into the tem-
perate warmth where the blooming
roses grace their trellises in every
month of every year. And those
numberless trains, laden with that
foaming beverage, would bring peace
to the heart and the color of health
to the pallid cheek of even the pro-
hibitionist if he only dared to cast
aside his prejudices and obey the in
functions of the holy scriptures and
take a little for his stomach's sake. "
What would 1t mean to the rights
of property?
| 1t would mean ruthless destruction
to vast estates built up under the
sanction of the law and in the guar
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