La Junta tribune., 1911-04-01

worked for the Santa Fe and lived
down on Ration avenue. In going 70
and from his work he passed and
repssxed the La Junta thirst par
Tors and soon went In and INDUCED
his appetite for strong drink and
In three or four years became quite
L boozcr and like the two year old
child who was given \ dose Of Gas
toria and liked II. he simply open
ed his mouth and cried for more. Il
want some more and the bartender
filled him To the brim and when he
became so full that he could scarce
iy walk. they dumped him into a
back room and sent word to his
wife 10 come and get her beloved
She came, .ook him home and hid
him In the closet SO as not 10 dis
grace the few roomers she was
keeping AT the end OF five or six
because he was no good. and he
moved 20 Pueblo and did the same
: there and soon got fired. Then his
wife left him but finally returned
and they began living on a farm Ia
otero county. Nearly every time he
came TO La Junta he went home
drunk He finally abandoned his
family leaving them without one dol
lar in money or property. his wife
with three months old baby on
her hands and two boys. four and
six years old.
His children have bsen cared for
by friends. ! paid eighty dollars In
money TO the grandmother OF these
children for their support. Others
helped. but better s,ill she helped
herself, raising chickens. and garden
vegetables and peddling them In
town. me, this grandmother on
the streets OF La Junta two weeks
ago and she told me that her daugh-
ter's health was broken. and abe a
physical wreck because Of the vorry,
anxiety and care OF raising three
children whose father had deserted
them. She Is practically an invalid
at the age OF thirty.thrce. This NO
man says that the La JuntA saloons
are responsible for the ruin of her
husband aud the ruin OF her home.
This woman in respect TO charac
ter has no superior In otero county
Like Caesars wife she is above sus
picion.
The charge she makes against tn,
La Junia saloons IL most seriou,
charge. What have the La Junta sa
looms OF ten and fifteen years age
to answer TO this charge? oh.
they reply. we did not invite youi
friend. WIN. Into our saloons. moi
ask him to buy our liquor. lie cam,
In OF his own accord, asked for tn,
liquor and We sold Il to HMM fact
sold MIN all he wanted. The troubl,
with your friend was he did no
have sense enough 10 know when h,
had enough. II. was a weak man o
course We disclaim any and all re
sponsibility for the ruin OF his home
Very good. Now that Is as good .
defence OF the saloon as any saiooi
keeper can SIT up. lie Vas a veal
man and they sold him all he wanted
Now | ask another question: Gentle
men. do you claim that you hav,
the moral right or any right to sci
weak man all tn. liquor he wants
when you know that that liquor vii
send him TO hell across lots. II 20,
do, J beg leave 10 differ with you
Your claim il Ia conflict With III,
teaching Of this axe-ln ooniiic
with the humanitarian spirit OF tn
twentieth century. All moral teach
crs and all rclls ions. both true an'
false. hold aud teach that 1t Is IN,
duty OF the strong TO aid aud assis
Wv S'sA Stas iuftths Aaupuie'
Luther. Wesley and Abraham Lin
coin all agree on this one point. Viz
that II Is the duty OF the strong Il
aid and assist the weak. For TIL
purpose schools. churches and xos
.rnmcnts are es,A siishcd and inair
} tanned among men. All lodges an
civic societies are founded ON II
same principle. Some Of these veal
linsx are thus made strong. while ou
crs are not. and never can b. bccau'
there Is nothing In them To bull
J upon or base . reform work upon.
; I'll admit this 10 . big subject.
} momcntous subject. and no ordinas
! aaa can handle t. Oaiy god ne
and big msa mke Roosevelt. TAN IN
I . sew otA~rs can cvrs hope 10 solv
! H. For Il 10 . fact that you M
) help . weak man too much and th~s
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