The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1911-06-15
RELIGIOUS
w. c. I. y. COLUMN.

w. y. . ~. SOLO MN
The prizes of S1.U0 offered by then
Ness department of Aingo county W (
G. T. U. tor the largest number OIL
and the 500 gold piece o1ered tor
the best paper on, Why Snouia West
Virginia Have Promotion? were boLn
won by Master Selwyn S. Bach, OF
Kermit, w. Va. Master Selwyn is on
ly II years old, and sent in two re-
matkably neat papers. lie made 26o
words from the letters in the word
Prohibition, and the following is his
paper:
Why West Virginia Should Be Pro-
hipition.
An Essay by Selwyn 5. Baach. II
Years old, Kermit, w. Va.
To the averaeg thinking man. it
seems folly TO discusses the Prohibition
and yet there are thousands OF our
citizens, men who profess 10 stand FOL
morality, peace, order and God, who
can perhaps be reached by no Other
method than that of overcoming their
prejudices by stronger argument
than their own. There are only Two
reasons in my mind, which an advocate
for license TO sell spurious liquors in
West Virginia. Or any other state can
resort to with any sort Of logic, to-Wit:
First, AS a matter Of personal lib
erty under the Constitution.
Second, 1t increases or enhances
business.
Opposed to these two reasons are
hundreds of others, each of equal val
ue and Importance.
Primarily, would say that West
Virginia is now on the Threshold OF
development along all lines and other
sister states are watching her devel-
opment and her rise tsgards the
Mark of the high calling" Why not
set the beacon of Prohibition in her
armament; SO that it may be as 4
burning light to lead other states and
peoples to the cause Of Temperance,
thereby promoting peace. order. mo-
rality and Christianity within their
"a heal n
time in the forward match of pr gress
within our state and what glorious
incentive it would be to our youth to
behold such a banner interviewer in
our government and be no longer
compelled to listen daily to acts OF
Wantonness, murder and destl uction
caused by the spirit Of intoxicating
liquors within our state.
Even the advocates of license admit
that drinking causes profanity obscen-
ity, Righteousness, immortality, insani
ty, disease, murder suffering and
want. What a string OF headaches
and miseries. Anything that would
lessen the causes of these miseries is
q blessing indeed and none so great
or SO powerful as Prohibition. The
money wasted on strong drink in our
state. would keep our poor from suf
fering and help to build needed parks
schools and Ravens of rest for our PEG
pie. A few more valuable reasons why
our state should be Prohibition are as
follows: OF necessity there would be
no saloons, unless there were some
one to drink and drinkers are usually
up against these propositions, An in
eurance company will not insure them;
employers will not give them posi-
tons OF trust. He cannot usually re
ceive credit. He is committing an of
tense against the law He may trans
init his mental weakness to his chill
dren. He is not respected. He 81 set
others. He usually cannot support
himself or family. He is more likely
to contract disease He usually con
tracts insanity or dies an untimely
death.
Even the Holy Scriptures are on rec
ord against the drunkard In the Bis
Proverbs we read, "Give strong drink
unto him that is ready to perish" Ii
the 23rd Proverbs For the drunkare
and glutton shall come to poverty.
and In vi Cor. we find this reading,
-Nor-drunkards shall inherit the
Kingdom OF God"
For these and many other reasons
our Little Mountain State" shoult
be placed In the class of the double
r. Progressive and Prohibition. Amen
AuNDuE" OR UNREASONABLE"