Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-11-26

uNuEN
There Is abroad an immense sentl-
ment In favor OF prohibltlon-a sentl-
ment often unexpressed, unwritten, al
most unknown even by the possessOvs.
Today as never before the spirit OF
prohibition Is In the air. The aim
Of todays civilization is 10 prohibit
or destroy any thing which Is danger
Gus TO the life OF the people. The
hook worm the mosquito, the fly In
fected food unsanitary houses. fac
tories or stores with unsafe founda-
tons, are included in this list, and
we might add war, pestilence, famine,
hurricane and food; yet the use OF
alcoholic drink causes greater loss OF
life than all these combined. Scientific
research reveals that intoxicating
liquors are not a necessity for medi-
cal, scientific or pharmaceutical pur-
poses. The soeiologists compile stat
istlcs plainly showing that strong
drink causes poverty, misery, degrade
ton and death. The commercial and
business corporations see It's damag-
ing. destructive effects and are estab-
fishing prohibitory laws Of their own,
forbidding the use Of intoxicating
liquor by their employees. The tinan-
ciers who have thought liquor revenue
was necessary are learning how to
reckon profit and loss as applied to the
liquor trade.
Millions Of our people are awake to
the magnitude Of the liquor business,
and believe It should be prohibited.
There are other millions who are not
educated in regard to the poisonous
nature and the terrible effects of alco-
hol. With renewed enthusiasm the
truth must be proclaimed from pulpit
and platform, in the highway and by
way, in Sunday school and public
school, and in the home; not only by
personal and public speech, but by
abundant dissemination of the best
temperance literature such as the
National w, c. T. U. publishing
house is ready to supply.
Total abstinence is the bed rock up
on which the w. c. T. U. has ever
been building. The total abstinence
pledge always has been test Of mem
bership in the w. c. T. U. ALI of the
forty departments have been created
as as help in promoting total abstin-
ence. Witness the pretty scene of the
young mother bringing to the w. c. T.
U. meeting her little child; sacredly
dedicating him or her to a life Of pur.
ity and of total abstinence, the child
being received as a white ribbon re-
cruit. What an impressive, imposing
sight it would be- could there pass be
fore us in joyous parade the hundreds
of thousands Of Loyal Temperance Lee
gioners, the still greater number who
are being taught total abstinence in
the Sunday schools, and the 100000.
600 youth of the public schools, enti
tied by law to be taught the nature OF
alcohol and the damaging results OF
its use.
The voice of business is loudly
raised against strong drink. The most
striking illustration of this is furnish
ed by the railroad companies. The
American railway companies, which
employ. upward of a million and g
half of persons, have a rule to the eff
feet that the use of intoxicants BY
employees while on duty is prohibited
Their use and the frequenting o.
places where they are sold is sufh
cient cause for dismissal. Other line:
of business are taking similar action
not always from philanthropic mo
tives, but for the sake of financial ad
vantage, recognizing that the eff
cheney of their employees is lesseneC
by the use of strong drink, ever
though taken in moderation. Insur
ance companies, athletic societies, ant
testifying to the ruinous results o
alcoholic beverages Even the bar
tenders union in advertising for bar
tenders calls for total abstainers, say
ing that booze hits the bartender jus
as strongly as it hits the man in from
who pays for it. If any one wants Il
drink let the man on the other side o
the bar do it,"
For years the w. C. T. U. through
, its DO Everything policy has beef
girdling the gigantic tree of the liquo
traffic. The tree that is girdled dies
, The liquor traffic is doomed Pleas
i. note that it is not alone the saloon
! but the liquor traffic we seek to dc
: stroy. The w. C. T. U. is anti-liquo
: making, anti-liquor importing, ant
! liquor selling in saloon, hotel, club
/ public house, private house, on raj
, road, on shipboard, in the Gothenbur
. dispensary or any other place b
= whatsoever name it may be called. W
make no distinction between distille
or fermented or malt liquors.