The Ocala evening star., 1911-04-26
TEMPERANCE TOPICS
Reasons Given by Men I'm Justification
of the Licensed saloon Business.

of the Licensed saloon Business
Most of these reasons are the mer-
est subterfuges. The real reasons con-
fine themselves practically TO two. the
first of which is: Il want liquor handy
where 1 can get il TO drink: / love my
dram" The second is: There is mon
ey in the business for me; I want the
money that comes TO me from the
presence OF the licensed saloons
Scratch through all the other So
called reasons OF the saloon advocates.
and as a rule YOU Will find them of the
fiimsiest kind OF material. and that the
real reason Is one Of the two given
above.
Now. as TO the first. Il want my
dram" Brother, there are two reasons
why 1 ask you TO give up your dram
and stand with Us against the licensed
saloon. From the ranks OF the dram
drinkers come all the drunkards: and
il is possible that your dram drinking
may land you in a drunkard'S grave.
l have known many a good men as
you TO be led on until the appetite for
liquor had reached a point beyond con-
troll. If you can give il up now, do it
If you cannot, YOU are a drunkard al
ready. and il Is only a question Of time
and the convenient saloon when the
awful fact will disclose itself TO you.
Then. again. 1 ask you to give up your
dram for the sake OF your admitte eddy
weak brother Let this be done on the
principle Paul acted on when he said.
IF meat make my brother TO offend. !
will eat no flesh, lest l make my
brother TO offend" II having saloons
convenient. from which you can get
your dram is going TO result in untold
injury in many ways to many people,
then ! ask for the sake of those who
thru the saloons will become drunk
ards. that you give up your dram and
stand with US for closing the saloon.
There is money in the business for
me-" So Judas reasoned when he sold
our Lord to his death. That money,
however. was finally a curse. Among
the people who favor the licensed sa-
loon. for the sake of the money there
iS in ii TO them. / mention. first. the
brewers and distillers and wholesalers
II is a burning shame that such bust
ness men as they are will not make
living along lines of legitimate bust
ness without preying on the weakness
| of degraded men. They go to work
through the saloon keeper and create
and develop a dangerous and God-for-
hidden appetite. and then proceed to
crafty il by furnishing intoxicating
! liquors. Fabulous fortunes are made
/ by this class of men. OF course they
want the licensed saloon, as more of
their liquor is sold thru il than thru
! the blind tiger.
In the next place. the saloon keepers
| find there is much easily made money
in it for them So hardened do they
become in this death dealing business
that their consciences are scared as
with hot iron. and they pocket the
money without ever stopping TO think
of what they are giving in exchange
for it,
Many office-seeking and office hold
ing politicians work on the side of the
| licensed saloon because of the money
there is in it for them. Sometimes the
money is paid direct as a fee for ser
vice rendered. and sometimes it is paid
by election or appointment TO office.
These characters are the abject slaves
of the liquor traffic, tho they some
times pose the friends of the rights
of those who drink at the open bar.
Just let the flow of money into their
pockets cease and see how quickly they
will desert the liquor dealers. Just let
the liquor dealers turn against them
and turn them out of office and see
how quickly they lose interest in the
business OF the saloon keeper.
! Then there is the professional or
BUSINESS man whose financial interest
is advanced by taking sides with the
saloon people; and who would greatly
fear boycott from the saloon frater-
nifty. He does not hesitate to say that
i"business would he injured il the sa-
looms are put out of commission" God
pity all these men and others who. for
the sake of the money there Is in il are
willing to take advantage of the
weakness OF men and ruin them, TAX
ing the bread out of the mouths Of the
children and the clothes from their
backs. My earnest plea TO such men is
TO sacrifice the dollar you make thru
this accursed business and make your
living in some other way, even il there
is not so much money in il.
You cannot make men sober by
law" But the question is, should you
make men drunk by law?'' Men have
not the natural, the God given right
TO drink alcoholic, intoxicating liquor
as a beverage, nor have men the nat
ural, God given right TO sell such Ii
quor a beverage.-Fred D. Hale.