The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1911-02-22
The Saloonatic and the Bible.

So desperate and depraved have the
| friends of the saloon become that they
are attempting to prove that the saloon
ought TO exist by an appeal to Scrip
lures Yellow fever appealing to health
for support; monstrosity to beauty; and
vileness 10 purity, But drowning man
will catch at straw. Nothing but the
extreme modesty of the saloon crowd
prevents them from claiming that their
business is a guarantee Of temperance
and sobriety. The appeal TO Scriptures
in defense o f the worst business n
which the sun ever shone, is in keeping
with the colossal arrogance of the trade.
1t is wonderful that Sunday schools and
theological seminaries do not run sa-
loon in connection TO illustrate the ben
evolent influences of the saloon which
claims the support Of Holy Scriptures!
The "rummies' are circulating a
pamphlet in this community written to
prove that the Bible is on the side of
drink and drinking. In any man can
be won over to the side of the saloon by
such arguments as are there advanced.
it would be because he has just enough
intelligence fit him for a successful
bootlegger.
Now we are ready to admit that the
Bible has Something to say about the
use of strong drink. There a re many
references TO drinking customs ia the
Bible. But to find a parallel between
drinking customs of the Orient and the
legalized saloon OF America, is to mis-
take a horse chestnut for a chestnut
horse. The man who could find a parallel
would hardly know the difference be
tween an automobile and wheel barrow
If this nation is rising in wrath against
the saloon business it is not because it is
a successful industry, or because the
conscience of men is sensitive over
an occasional drink, or because they
have any crouch against the men engag-
ed the traffic. But the nation is rising
because the saloon makes criminals AMI
/
paupers. because it wrecks homes and
digs graves, and because it has corrupt
ed politics wherever it has had an oppor
| tunity. The saloon has been on trial
for several generations, and the people
have declared that it has monumental
success in everything that threatens the
well being of the nation, and a monu-
mental failure In everythingcontributary
to its good. 1t has been patron and
promoter Of dives, of gambling, lewd'
ness. of debauchery in many forms. Il
has allied itself with every evil thing
II has consecrated itself to the destruc
ton of manhood, womanhood and child
hood.
/, Now If any man wants TO believe tha'
\ the Bible favors an institution Of tina
character it is his privilege to do so
But we prefer to believe that the Biol'
is against it, If the Bible were on thai
side of the question il could not live |
day. and ought not to live. 1t is on thu
side of Justice, kindness, the love OF hom
, land children. the care of the widow AM
orphan, the fidelity of wives and hus
! bands-the saloon is on the other side
When the saloon turns out its ffnishe'
: product the Bible has to gather that poo
drunkard within Its influence, and {
make him over. If the Bible were o
the side of the saloon gang. there woui
G be no need for it to reconstruct the me
: whom they have wrecked. The Biol
and the saloon logically. if the view
the saIoonat:c be correct, would combln
= for the downfall of the race. Fortuni
S tely. the common sense OF mankind ia
/. found out that the Bible is against th
saloon, and that the saloon IS again
the Bible. One is set for the ruin OF I'll
y race. and the other for its redemption
d A child knows that these things al
e true. Every drinking man knows thu
e they are true. Every man who appea
: 10 his own intelligence knows they a.
: TRUE. We are only mislead when Il
9 appeal is made to depraved appetlt
II This is contest between brain aI
J. bellies. On which side are youl
E. B. Bar q