The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-10-27
Chill dren Cry
FOR FLETCHER'S
Q a 8 ORIA
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC is INDIE.
FENSIBLE.

FENSIBLE.
Bonfort's Wine and Spirit Circular
makes no concealment of the fact that it
is for the interest of the liquor trade to
down prohibition. Referring to the ten
dency toward prohibition, it asks the
question, "Can the liquor business be
successfully defended before the bar of
public SENTIMENT The question i'm
plies the doubt upon the part of those
engaged in it. 1t says:
''The big majority in the recent Ten
nessee election given to the Republican
and against the regular Democratic nom
inees was an echo of the Statewide pro-
hibition fight and Of the killing of
Carmack, and whether we like it or not,
it must be accepted as further protest
of the people of Tennessee against the
liquor traffic, as the people of Tennessee
know, or think they know, that traffic.
"ln Texas we find very large major
ity polled in favor of submitting con-
stitutional amendment prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of liquors, to
vote of the people.
'fIn Missouri, in obedience to a de-
mand from the people, fight is on to
amend the constitution and prohibit the
liquor business.
''In Florida a1ssimilar fight is being
waged and in several other States like
Nebraska the liquor question is the lead
ing question in politics.
''To the States where the LIQUOR
traffic is being attacked by well-organ-
lied movements must be added the
States like Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennes-
see, Mississippi, Alabama and North
Carolina, where it has been outlawed, if
We would realize how tremendous is the
movement and how vast the forces sworn
to the destruction of every brewery and
distillery in America.
The situation is grave one, and it
demands the attention of the men who
have hundreds of millions invested in
breweries, distilleries, wineries, and in
stocks of liquors. 1t is situation that
demands the highest craftsmanship and
generalship. 1t raises the question as to
why we have lost SO many States and
why we have so many fierce contests in
other States.
cit raises the question as to whether
incompetent hands, or whether it can be
possible that the liquor trade is so disre-
putable that it cannot be successfully de-
Tended before the bar of public senti-
ment."
AS if in answer to the question so
earnestly put by the liquor organ, arises
Geo. B. Hugo of Boston, himself en-
gagged in the liquor business. In the pull
pit of the Maverick Congregational
Church in East Boston, Sunday, Mr..
Hugo declared that the saloon must 90
because it is indefensible; it must be
abolished for the safety of the commun-
ity; economic necessity demands its
abolition"
From the report of Mr.. Hugo's address
as published in the Boston journal Mon
day morning we append the following
extracts:
Mr.. Hugo conceded that the intemper-
ate use of alcoholic stimulants is one of
the worst evils affecting modern civiliza-
ton. He acknowledged that there is no
logical argument for the continued exist
ence of the criminal saloon.
Mr.. Hugo argued that the criminal
saloon is not the breeding ground of
criminal classes, but that the criminal
classes breed the criminal saloon; though,
he remarked, this matters little beside
the indisputable fact that the criminal
saloon does exist and, whether the cause
or the effect, should be abolished for the
safety of the community.
''These brilliant drink germ factories, -
he said, referring to the saloons, ''forti-
fed and protected by the mud strata of
society, supported by befuddled igno-
rance, are a constant menace to the COM
munity. The saloon as proposition
and by saloon l mean place which has
no other reason for existing except as a
place to drink, the congregating spot for
all that is vile and disreputable in the
communicates no defenders. This is
agreed upon by common consent.
1.-THE saloon man declares the saloon is
the poor mans club. This solicitude
for the poor man must be taken with a
grain of salt. Most clubs require some
semblance of responsibility, but in the
poor man s club there is no restriction as
to numbers or character. Good standing
there depends only on the ability to buy.
If you don't have money, you needn' t
come round
81 say if the saloon, as at present con-
Quoted, is the poor mans club, it is a
poor club for any man to belong to. The
dues are. too high. They are made so
largely by the treating system. 1t
costs too much to keep the club steward
prosperous"
MT. hugo UOOh IHe SLdllu lLdt Cne
popular argument about Interference
with the personal liberty of the individ-
ual, :" advanced by the saloon men, is no
longer seriously considered. "P utting
down the gates at a railroad crossing in
terferes with personal liberty" he said,
$50 does compulsory vaccination, but
both are Necessary to protect the individ-
ual. Society has the same right to pre-
vent the contagion and evil results of
drunkenness.
''The saloon as proposition" said
Mr.. Hugo, sis undoubtedly the most
dangerous part of the liquor traffic.
Seventy-fve per cent of the evils con-
nected with the liquor business can be
traced directly to the saloon.
''The drink evil must be extermi.
mated, he declared in conclusion, "ano
it will be exterminated. Economic neces.
sity now demands it. No longer is it a
moral issue. Moral suasion and restric.
tive legislation will solve the liquo,
problem"