Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-25
THE VALUE OF PROHIBITION.
Terse Arguments by Texas Priest
of Wide Experience.

Rev Father Patrick j. Murphy.
Roman Catholic pastor of Dalhart.
Texas. at recent prohibition rally
in favor of the adoption of a eonsti-
tutionaI amendment to the Texas con-
stitutton said:
MY principal reason for being with
you in this magnificent assembly Is
this. | want to make one assertion
that will go through the press of
Texas. from the sunlit skies of Dali
hart to the minocene formations and
the derrieks of Beaumont. That one
assertion is this In the campaign that
is now being inaugurated and in the
election of July %, every Roman
Catholic In the state of Texas. wheth-
err priest or layman, is absolutely free
to work fof and to vote for statewide
prohibition.
Il am determined that il 1t is in my
power tn prevent it no combination of
the LIQUOR interests of Texas snail
compel any considerable number OF
Catholic people of this state to form
solid center for the army now be-
ing ntarshalled to fight the last, hard
losing battle for Texas saloon.
The church of Jesus Christ is sup
posed to stand for something higher
than the saloon business and the day
has now gone by in Texas and in ev-
cry other American commonwealth
when any churchman or any leader in
any church can come out in defence
of the saloon business and achieve
ANYTHING thereby but a most unenvia-
Bile notoriety. The man who tells you
that the Catholic church is for the sa-
loon is doing grave injustice TO the
religion of 100000 of the American
peorlc The man who tells you that
the Catholic priesthood and the Catno7
lie bishops of America are the allies OF
the saloon husiness-the man who tells
you that, is guilty of a gross and serl-
Gus Misrepresentation
THE real issue in this campaign is
the saloon business as we now have 1t
in Texas and the right of the people of
Texas 10 decide whether it is i good
thing or an evil thing, and their right
if they know it to be an evil thing, to
vote it out Remember this and tell it
to your saloon friends, hiding behind
the mask of local option. The ques-
ton of the fundamental right or
wrong is not a matter of locality If
the saloon Is an eNii ltIili5 ny iNp~SSAi
of it's nature in any county. then 1t Is
by reason of that same fact, an evil
in every county.
rs the saloon business as we nave
it in Texas today an evil thing ana
a thing that cannot be changed into
a beneficial thing? Is there not such
a thing as a good saloon? Are we not
condemning it because of its associa-
tions? You might as well talk about
decent rattlesnake. We certainly con-
denim saloons because of their asso
Citations, but we are net unmindful of
the fact that the meanest thing about
saloon is the saloon itself,
"a saloon is licensed, bonded and
protected resort for men. where, by
the use Of an irritant poison known as
alcohol moderate drinkers are pro-
duced and then some of these moter-
ate drinkers are converted into
drunkards. Five thousand drunkards
a year may not be an overestimate of
| the finished product of an industry in
which you and I are engaged as CO.
operators by granting licenses under
the seal of our state. A saloon is an
institution for making drunkards.
Drunkenness does not make a man re-
| spectacle today. 1t does not recon-
mend him for a responsible position.
| 1t does not entitle him to the conf
dence of his friends. The railroad
company does not want drunkard in
| the train or on the locomotive. The
steamship company does not want him
on the bridge. The commercial mouse
or banking institution does not want
| him handling it's funds. The mer-
chant does not want him behind the
| counter. The manufacturer does not
want him beside the machine. We do