The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-04-10
SMASHED WHEN IT AFFECTS
HAPPINESS OF OTHERS.
THE SALOON EVIL
Dragging Men Downward to Sin and
Shame Is the Business of the Saloon.
Its One Greedy Object Is to Make
Money Regardless of Results.

ture Magazine The Anti-Saloon move
ment is advancing with gigantic strides.
Within the last five years dry" territory
in the United States has doubled Here
tofore it has been very difficult matter
to vote large city "dry." This diff
Guilty exists because of the degenerating
influences in large cities which natur-
ally develop class of citizens who I'M
questionably favor evils of all kinds
To be sure, there are some men who no
doubt feel that in abolishing saloons we
are interfering with personal liberties,
but the champions of saloonless cities
have smashed this personal liberty theo-
ry into smithereens on many occasions.
Ones personal liberty must be circum-
scribed as long as you live in com
munity where your personal actions are
bound to affect the health and happiness
of those who reside therein In fact,
all the laws that have been placed on
the statute books might be regarded as
interfering with personal liberty. But,
as rule, they are supposed to have
been enacted for the purpose of circum-
scribing the personal liberty of those
who might otherwise disturb the peace
and happiness of others. If one were
to interfere with the liberty of man
to become drunkard, if he alone were
to be affected by this depravity, there
might be no special cause for complaint,
but with brain that is unbalanced
through the use of alcohol, the man be-
comes irresponsible. His mind has be-
come distorted, its most bestial charac-
teristics are often greatly stimulated,
and are we interfering with the personal
liberty of such man, if we consider it
best for the interests of a safer citizen
ship in peaceful community to take
away the. saloons which make this re-
suit so easily possible?
Let US also suppose that man IS gift
ed with strength of will; that he can
drink or leave it alone in accordance
with his own best judgment. 1t is ad
mitted everywhere that alcohol has de-
pressing and devitalizing influence. Has
man right to faint his progeny with
weakened vitality that would result
from the regular, though temperate, in
dulgence in alcoholic iquors?s It isl
everywhere admitted that the use of
alcohol is an evil. Then if we have this
evil why should it stand, as does the
saloon. as a constant temptation? Why
should it allure our boys and young men
into the habit of doping mind and body
and soul? Why should it help to des-
troy the conscience and the character of
those who are making every effort to
lead a wholesome, respectable life {?
Why should it tempt our girls, as It'll
does, into life Of shame? Why should |
it be Haunted in the face of growing
boys and girls at a time of life when
temptation is often to strong for them ?
We are spending millions of dollars for
the purpose Of education. We are try
ing to develop a superior citizenship in
our superficial way and yet when we
find a public school, we find that sa-
loon is not far away. In the public
schools we go through the process of
developing our citizens, of building
strength of body and mind that is so
essential to good citizenship, and in the
< -. 4
nearby saloons we proceed to demolish
and demoralize the very characteristics
for which we paid sch great price.
And, worst of all the saloon helps to
pay the taxes. The saloon is licensed
by the same government that erects and
maintains the public schools The yeryl
money paid by saloons as taxes is often
used to build and maintain public
schools. What paradox What an
amazing situation. the saloon helping to
develop citizens that it may add to its
Golfers the financial rewards that comes
TO it as a result of the moral and ply
sica1 degradation, the misery and ruin
and death of its patrons
The saloon must go from every de-
cent, civilized community Even the
drunkard will demand this in his intell-
igent moments. Even the temperate
drinker will demand it when he sees the |
revolving results Of its degrading infiu-
ence Dragging men downward to sin
and shame is the business of the sa-
1oons. The saloon cares not for man
hood nor wonanhood. II mas but one
greedy object, that is, the making Of
money. If this money is made at the
price of human souls, if it causes b1earyl
eyes, half-paralyzed senses, the maudlin