The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-07-07

&~1~ -ESA 81
LIQUOR EVIL IS STRONG FOE
PrisingIy Few, Weak and Spe-
cious-Three Of Them.

The liquor evil is strong and
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 I'M
mitigated evil. Freedom in such a
case becomes only a license that
should and must be curbed, writes
Rev Charles B. Chaplin, D. D., in
Christian Work and Evangelist.
The poor mans club" is another
specious argument. But, it may be
replied, in return for the warmth and
sociability and good cheer furnished
the poor man by the saloon, he is
dragged down physically, mentally,
morally, spiritually, and at the same
Thus the cost is too great And, then,
what Of the wives and children? Are
they 10 be utterly disregarded? Is it
not better and less selfish for the man
to make his home livable and attrac-
tive for those whom he is bound 20
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, it is as
serted, is an essential thing In reply,
1t may be said, and it can be clearly
and convincingly proved by facts and
figures, that more IS actually paid out
for police and criminal courts and
prisons and poorhouses because Of the
saloon than is received from such
revenue
What, then, can be done to down
this foe, which, when looked squarely
in the face, has not a single justifiable
argument for its existence?
Four things may be suggested:
First, conviction. Some few have
deep convictions against this unhOly
evil because they have been injured
by it in their hearts and homes. and
others because they are active against
it. But the great majority of good
people are lukewarm. All such need
to be aroused. If they would only
make an intelligent study of this
monstrous curse, as It is their duty
TO do they would soon realize how
il ruins the individual and leads to
pauperism and crime in the state, and
as 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 own 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 CIR! did who prayed that God
would rot 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
fCiently caught the spirit of it, TEN
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-
sent 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 so little CON
sderation 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, or would. resist
! them if 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.
hbeEipapca AbsoluteIu Cofa