The Falls City tribune., 1910-08-05
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LIQUOR EVIL IS STRONG FOE
Arguments for Its Existence Are Sur
prisingly Few, Weak and Spe,
gs. clous-Tbree of Them.

lHt iiQuOI evil 10 d sllOuS anu
mighty foe to everything that is pure
and good and true. And yet strong
and mighty as it Is, the arguments for
its existence are surprisingly few and
weak and specious. Only three are
worthy of even a passing notice:
The first is the personal liberty
plea. OF course ours is a free land
but free for what? Not for a man or
set of men to injure other men and
the community. But this is exactly
what the saloon is doing. 1t is an un-
m~itigated evil. Freedom in such a
should and must be curbed, writes
Rev. Charles B. Chaplin, ID. D., In
Christian Work and Evangelist.
The poor mans club" is another
specious argument. But, il may be
replied, In return fer the warmth and
the poor man by the saloon, he is
dragged down physically, mentally.
morally, spiritually, and at the same
time he worse than wastes his money.
Thus the cost is too great. And, then,
what of the wives and children? Are
they to be utterly disregarded? Is 1t
not better and less selfish for the man
to make his home livable and attrac-
tive for those whom he is bound to
love and cherish and support? Let
him put into his home the wages he
spends for rum, and there will be less
need for a poor mans club
=, But there Is the revenue which the
city, county and state receive from
the license system, which. 1t is as
serted, Is an essential thing. In reply,
1t may be said, and 1t can be clearly
and c~onvincingly proved by facts and
figures, that more is actually paid out
for police and criminal courts and
saloon than is received from such a
revenue.
= What, then, can be done to down
this foe, which, when looked ~squarely
in the face, has not a single justifiable
argument for It's existence?
-Four things may be suggested:
First, conviction. Some few have
deep convictions against this unholy
evil because they have been injured
by 1t In their hearts and homes, and
others because they are active against
1t. But the great majority of good
people are lukewarm. All such need
to be aroused. II they would only
make an intelligent study of this
monstrous curse, as 1t Is their duty
to do, they would soon realize how
1t ruins the individual and leads to
pauperism and crime In the state, and
as a result their convictions would
stir their very souls and lead to some
sort of action.
Second, charity. Most of the foes
of the saloon are Christians, and char
ity Is a Christian grace; but the lack
of this grace is lamentable. Instead
of attacking the saloon, too many
temperance people aim their shafts
against each other, simply because
other methods than their WI are be-
ing used.
Third, concentration. Temperance
sermons and addresses are good, but
unless such bring on some definite
action the saloon only snaps its fingers
and laughs. We need to do as the
little girl did who prayed that God
would not let her brother catch birds
in his trap. When asked why she
was so confident that her prayers
were answered, she replied, Because
/ smashed the trap If we answer our
own prayers by voting against the
saloon. by defeating legislators who
are allied with this evil, and by enact
ing laws against it, then the liquor
interests become truly frightened.
Fourth, cooperation. This is the
tendency of the age, but temperance
and church people have not yet sui
f1ciently caught the spirit of 1t. Tenn
perance organizations are too far
apart. There is thus a wicked waste
of power. We need to get together,
to work and fight as one man, to pre-
SEM a united front. To quote some
wise and true words from former
District Attorney Jerome: The
reason why the church's wishes
and demands find Sc little con-
sideration at the hands Of poll
ticians, legislators and executive Of
ficials Is because they so rarely agree
among themselves on any specific and
definite demands, and they do not go
about their. reform work in a way to
command the attention and co-opera-
ton of practical men. No party in
city or state could, Of would, resist
them II they acted together with
earnestness, sincerity and true unity
of purpose"
Because of a compliance with these
four essentials, there are sure signs
of success in the temperance cam
paign in many places.