Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-06-13

and will continue to be questioned more
and more closely. Those things which
will best assist business men in their ex-
acting work, and not those, which. by
appealing to the sensual characteristics,
weaken the constitution and stultify the
ambition, are subjects for encouragement
and promotion by the thinking class OF
men. And the products OF the liquor
business are recognized by all great man.
ufacturers, railroad executives, merchants
and others of similar occupations, as al
fecting themselves or their employees
only in very detrimental way. This
recognition, acting as a mighty factor, is
ineSistibly pushing the liquor traffic away
from the claim of legitimate business.
Holding in mind that business is a pre-
dominant force in our State, that business
has no reason to encourage intoxicants
and every reason to discourage them,
that clean and honest business will most
effectively advance the material welfare
of our own and future generations, we ad-
vance easily to the conclusion that il is
duty, necessity, to Danish liquor from
our business world by voting TO ratify
the prohibition amendment on the fifth Of
next November.
From the broader standpoint OF patriot
ism this question OF prohibition or no
prohibition provides for its own solution.
Actuated by an Unsuitable desire to see
the right triumph and the evil disappear,
the true citizen to whom the welcome
weight OF recognize responsibility as
voter, perhaps office holder, has brought
manly courage, does not hesitate moment
in stating whether or not the preparation
and consumption of liquor is for the ad-
yancement of his State There was new
er time in Our history when intelligent
citizens were demanding the publication
OF city and State administrations, in more
emphatic and unmiStakable terms, than
at the present. Education and experience
are bringing and forcing home realization
that no government is worth while which
permits, even in some cases allies itself
with, vice and shameless drunkenness.
Not much longer, let us hope, must the
honest, sober voter be tolerant OF the
back-alleY, whiSkey-perflimed voting
booth; OF the incapable, Self-Seeklng
politician who procureS his votes by
"treatS," of the city council dominated
by liquor interests; OF the corrupt, So
called statesman who know not the mean
ing OF that word, representing, as he does,
not the interests OF his constituents but
the immoral and destructive institutions
of his district. The one plea offered by
such men in excuse for licenses TO pro-
mote intemperance is the revenue. II, IN
order to meet the necessary expenditures
OF our State, the residents must consume
a product which cannot advance better
claim for use than that OF being a de-
stroyer, then the States management
little merits the description OF "enlight-
ened," or Civilized" Lenency might
be spared for doubling this fact were II
not reason itself that sound bodies and
clear minds can accomplish more in pro-
ducing revenue than the reverse plus all
the licenses ever issued. Try as he may,
the voter can find no honorable argument
as support in voting against the prohlol-
ton amendment.
Should It be presumed that there were
no additional reasons TO be presented in
predetermining the voters decision, that
of social progress in itself would be all
sufficient. The truth OF this statement
may be attributed in great measure to an
obligation laid upon man by nature her
self under which all human procedures
are subject to two movements, the one
upward, the other downward. No ac-
ton, nc decision, no conception, but
must be referred 10 this inexorable law
for Judgment as to its tendency, and only
one OF two verdicts can be rendered
forward or backward. This necessity is
not admitted by those TO whom the great
law OF cause and effect is unreVealed, mol
by those whose ideas are so preIudlceo
as not to permit their grasping the future
significance OF present movements. This
is recurrence of those old stubborn
characteristics of mediaeval society which
persistently refused TO adopt the changes
advocated by reformerS because It meant
sacrifice and abandonment OF practices
and privileges which selfiShnesS and mar
rowness prompted them to retain without
considering the advisability OF anticipat-
ing improved conditions for theirprogeny
So long as we accept it as fact that mar
is imperfect, that society may be advanced
toward perfection, our duty is clearly to
seek the blightS causing the imperfec-
tons and eradicate them. Society viii
never reach that desirable state of near
perfection except by the vigorous and
decisive action Of all the members OF So
ciety and this action along practical lines
Nothingmo practical, or decisive, either
can be conceived than the combined
judgments OF voters. If the majority o.
opinions of the people generally means
a reflection of careful thought, then the
prohibition amendment in West Virginia
is safe. If, on the other hand, the re-
turns from the polls are to be governed
by blind adherence to the established
order of things, then we shall simply have
failed to take a great forward step TO.
wards better order of things. Prohibi.
ton, or no prohibition We must pu
ourselves on record as favoring one o
the other. Surely the least that we car
do is to make ourselves thoroughly IA
.....l. A. .,,a-,tr - ft1a rruacffor, 7r