Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-28
CBy the Local Option League.)

(By the Local Option League.)
Honorable Fellow Citizens: The
question before us is not, personal
liberty" at least not in thebsupericial
sense in which the liquor speople use
that expression. If you have any
doubt in this matter, You should go
to some of the dry cities like Decatur,
Galesburg and Rockford. You would
then readily find that people there
have not given up their rights as
American citizens. They are a liberty
loving people and are happier under
dry rule than under wet lawlessness.
But in a deeper sense 1t is Ques-
ton of personal liberty. The greatest
authority in heaven and on earth has
said, Verify, verify, say unto yous
every one that committeth sin Is the
bondservant Of sin" You can't get
better commentary on those words
than the modern saloon and its pa
irons. Talk about the personal liberty
of a drunkardI Why, it would reduce
him to a f1end incarnate If he were
really exercising personal liberty When
he abuses himself and his family by
spending his time and money at sa-
looms! Let us be little more charita-
BILE to him He loves his wife and
children, but he is a pitiable ''bonA<
servant of sin" He is a helpless
slave to his awful appetite, instigated
and impassioned by the most cruel
and heartIess of masters, the, modern
saloon.
Let every man, who is not dead 70
the noble feeling of human brother
hood, rise up in might and deal dead
ly blow to an institution that is a |
menace and a curse to our weaker |
brothers and their families. We be- !
lieve that even many drunkards viii
avail themselves of the opportunity on |
April to rid themselves of their most |
dangerous tempter, the saloon
Prohibition does not prohibtt',I
is one of the strongest war cries of |
the vets. That is one reason why |
they oppose local option. They are so
sorry that the local option law cant |
be enforced
Well, we are glad to find that they |
are now admitting the contrary. |
Keep uppermost in your mind, this
thought" they write, that theFprohi-
bition law about to be voted on, is not
merely an expression of sentiment, but |
it goes into effect 80 days after cleo
ton" 1
Now, MT. Voter, that fs precisely \
what the temperance people claim for
1t. We do not want the sort Of liberty
that defies any existing laws OF the II
and of the state. When
the majority decided that Rock Island
should be wet, we quietly abided by
that decision. If the pendulum should
swing our way thissyear, we shall ex-
1ect our opponents to show us sim
lar courtesy and abide by the local
option law. II
The vital question of today is law .
and don't you think that
t were better for US if the laws en-
acted by the accredited representa-
ives of the people were properly en-
orced? But did you ever hear the
liquor people argue in favor of law
Or did you ever find I
he saloons as factors in production
If good citizenship and of reverence
or law, human or divine?
Would 1t increase your feeling of /
manhood If you had to |
null the blinds in your own home,
tc?" Well, no. But does it increase |
feeling of independent man. l
ood to own or patronize an institu- 4
ion that conducts its business behind {
linds and screens? If you really be- |
ieve that saloons work for better
manhood and womanhood, then you v
hould vote for them, until you be- a
ONE better informed. But if you are
ersuaded that saloons have an oppo- a
tie tendency, that they corrupt our a
outh, that they degrade and brutalize o
heir best patrons and that they are +
detriment to the best interests Of e
he drunkard and his home, then g
lease be consistent, be honest, play '
he part of loyal and patriotic citi- Il
en-, and use your influence and your Il
ote against that institution and for &
ur common welfare. /
.OCAL OPTION PRESS COMMIT A
TEE, c