Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-01-26

Shaner, both OF whom we're in Versailles
during the past summer, will regret TO
learn that because of sickness and death
they were unable to meet with the exec
utive committee at Mexico. Mr.. Burger
is seriously i'll and Miss Shaner's father
was buried Jan Is and her mother was
suffering with grippe. These members
OF the official board were greatly missed.
The question of state wide prohibition
is of vital importance to every citizen of
Missouri. 1t is a question that affects
the pocketbook, the morals. and the
peace and prosperity of each community.
Every man ought to make up his mind
upon this question; make it up deliber.
ately, carefully, ~tloughtfully; he ought
to weigh we'll every argument to see il it
rings true.
Some arguments are but tinkling brass
and sounding cymbals. They sound big
and specious and plausible until one he
gins to weigh them in the scales of logic
and reason; then they are as light and
forceless as floating thistle down. Look
10 the evidence, men, look TO the evil
%,lence, and see If it is real ridence, with
the names of responsible parties be-
hind the assertions. Look to see wheth-
er the statements made are sound deduc.
ton, or plausible, or half lies that Ten.
nyson said were the blacklist Of all lies!
Ask yourselves this question. Does
any one propose to let the liquor traffic
off scot Tree to sell where it will aud how
it will to whom it will, without fine OF
license or restriction or legislation The
wet" man will Tell you as quickly AZ
the dry man, mo. The manufac-
turer must pay revenue; the traffic must
pay license; it must be under strict regu-
lation." The brewer himself does not
ask TO have liquor selling made as free
aud open as the sale of sugar and coffee,
or nails or calico.
Then ask yourself these questions. Is
In%temperance a good thing1 No one will
say that it is. Is the drunkard a help to
the community? A credit to his family?
An honor to himself? An example of
good morals1 There is but Que answer
10 each and every n Of these questions,
and that is ali unqualified no.
Does a saloon make d~runkarls? Ask
yourself If = cannery turns out tins of
rcady-,o.use ,omatoesf Does a creamery
turn out butter? Does a sawu,ill make
lumber out of logs? Does the firmer
make hay out Of grass. Does the miller
make -four ont of wheat? As we'll deny
All of these his to deny that a drink.shop
makes drink-hard men, for the word
diuntard means one who drinks hard.
Tie liquor forces tell us they will reg
ulate the traffic. What do they mean by
thai? They must mean, if they mean
anything, that they will curtail drunk.
cnesS. Keep down lawlesiness, and pro.
tcct boys in their teens from acquiring
the liquor habit. Now it is a fact tina,
We began to regulate the liquor traffic
in America two hundred ami three
NSatH aSo, NhSh III io'' az COlou1 Oh
Maryland made a restrictive liquor Jaw
That was III the days OF our great, grea,
g,andfa,ers' great, grea, grandfa,hers
aud we are still Regulating"
We have ,ink.,ed, patched, mendet
and trimmed our liq or law. We hav,
said our saloons must have a petition he
lln,l TIM m ,f n maiority of the taxnayer.
We said they mus, be within a certain
distance OF church o r school, that IL,
youth under t~Henty.one can have drinl
sold 10 him, that tie d'amNiop be on tn,
grouNd hoor where the police can watcl
1t. that 1t close on Su, days and elections
that il sells to no husband whose wifi
fnbids il. ana that no man eau drink OF
. train, and that a drunk man is to b
put OF from street car ur passenge
coach.