The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-12-11

SaleHl, 1tJ2, IN FltOhburg, ffGO. IL
is equally interesting TO note that
the number OF arrests made during
the years when there were no Ii
cense laws in effect were as follows:
In BrocktOn, i55; in Taunton, 1872; in
Chelsea, 1893; in Salem, 500; in Fitch
burg, 359.
These figures speak for them
selves. No arguments whatever are
needed to convince the man with an
open mind that the presence OF in
toxicating liquors means many
crimes and the absence OF drinks
means fewer crimes. A few years
ago there were about 400 inmates
in the state penitentiary at Frank
fort, Ky. Something like 90 per
cent OF these inmates were in prison
for crimes committed while the
criminals were under the influence
OF alcohol, or for crimes that would
not have been committed if those
committing them could not at any
previous time have had access to al
cohol. II seems only reasonable that
the state could well afford 10 do
away with the source OF so many
crimes rather than perpetuate the
cause by law and then tax the peo-
pie to take care Of the criminals
that the liquor business produces.
But there is an inclination in
many government quarters to make
business pay for itself and a little
extra besides. The liquor business
pays heavy revenue in dollars and
cents, but it does not pay one par
ticle Of revenue in terms of man.
hood, womanhOOd, purity, love Of
home and fireside, maidenly virtue,
self-respect, and other things that
make life most worth while. II de-
stroys everyone Of these precious
+, things-but il pays revenue in
dollarsl II is splendid and useful
! beast Of burden upon which to strap
some Of the burdens of taxation. II
is a great and prosperous business.
II helps to pay the salaries of thou
sands OF government inspectors,
gaugers, revenue officers, district
judges, etc, almost none Of whom
would be needed il the business it.
self did not exist. Besides this It
helps to pay the salaries OF state Of
flcials and officers of the national
government; il drops a handsome
amount into the appropriation for
building warships, constructing
locks and dams in rivers that will
not be used for navigation for the
next million years; it helps to pay
other necessary expenses Of the gov
eminent and furnishes about all the
money needed to prosecute and take
care Of the criminals il is directly
responsible for. You see it is a ire
mendously important factor in sup
plying the government with neces-
sary revenue.
But you must at the same time re-
member that the liquor business de-
stroys the very things that money
cannot buy. II destroys over $780,
600 human lives in the United States
every year; money connot buy back
one Of those lives. And those lives
are precious-to somebody. The
happiness of tens of thousands Of
homes is destroyed every year, but
money cannot buy back that hap
piness. The manhood and self re-
spect is stolen away from tens OF
thousands Of young men each year
and no amount Of money can buy
back either of these. IL smirches
the good name and destroys the
maiden virtue of thousands of girls
annually and money cannot buy
back the virtue of one of them. You
cant go to a market and purchase
manhood, or happiness, or self re-
spect, or purity, or innocence with
dollars. You might as well try to
send scout to heaven by parcel post
or by Adams Express Company.
The liquor business is the criminal
that strikes at the heart of all that
is purest and best in the individual
or the community; il destroys the
most precious things known to man
things that no amount Of money
can ever buy back again. But it
pays big revenue in dollars and
cents to the nation, hence il lives.
Whatever may be your attitude
toward the business you must re-
member that it is a constant source
Of crime, that it takes q good citi-
zen and makes . criminal out Of
him, that its influence in the life Of
an individual OF a community is al
ways degrading and never elevating.
| shall now discuss the relation
Of alcohol to disease.
Before entering this discussion il
will be important for you to under
stand something about how the body
fights disease.
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