The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-03-13
Why 1 Favor Prohibition.

Now about the power of prohibi-
tory laws to prohibit-the laws of
the state against murder do not en-
tirely prevent murder. But never
theless, l am opposed to licensing
one murderer to every so many thou
and persons, even on petition of 4
majority of the property owners in
the block, that we may have all the
murder that is desirable in the COM
munity under wise regulations, with
little income for the municipality.
I believe in the absolute prohibition
of murder.
The laws of the country prohibit
ing stealing do not entirely prevent
stealing. Nevertheless, am opposed
to a high license system of stealing,
provided that all theft shall be re-
stricted to certain authorized thieves,
who shall steal only between the
hours of say six a. m. and 11.3O p.
M, except Sunday, when no stealing
shall be done except by stealth, en-
trance to be made in all cases on that
day by the back door, and at the
thief's risk. I believe in laws that
absolutely forbid theft at any hour,
on any day of the week. And, on
the same ground, and just as posi-
lively, do I believe in the prohibition
of the liquor traffic. And l never
said l did not. And / did say that /
did And do.
l do say that the best way to make
a man a temperate man is to teacn
him not to drink. But saloon is
not kindergarten of sobriety. Your
town is under no obligation to any
saloon. All that it is, in respecta-
bility and permanent prosperity, it
has grown to be without the assist
ance of the liquor traffic.
It is deliberately claimed by some
people who appear to be sane on
other subjects, that properly to in
struct sober people in ways of So
briefly, and to teach total abstainers
the beauty and virtues of temperance,
you must license the selling of liquor
in the town. The man who original
ed that idea ought to have it stuffed
and exhibited at the Panama Exposi-
ton, and he should be leaned up be-
side it as a part of the exhibit.
AS to prohibition in Pasadena, If
any liquor man thinks there is big
money and a safe thing in running
blind pig" in Pasadena, let him
come here and try it. If he has
any love for his liberty and pocket
book, however, he will do well to
consult the fellows who have. tried
it, if he can find them; we cant.
They are in hiding somewhere out in
the desert. Running" "joint'' in
Pasadena is like running a powder
mill in smelling furnace. It's
mighty exciting while it lasts but it
doesn't last long enough to be profit
able
If the saloon men insist on quoting
me on this topic, let them commit
this to memory, that they may repeat
it as they need it: do not know one
good thing about the saloon. 1t is
an evil thing that has not one re-
deeming thing in all it's history to
commend it to good men. 1t breaks
the laws of God and man. 1t desc
crates the SABBATH; it profanes The
name of religion; it deiles public
order; it tramples under foot the
tenderest feelings of humanity; it is
moral pestilence that blights the
very atmosphere of town and coun-
try; it is a stain upon honesty; a
blur upon purity; clog upon pro-
gress; check upon the nobler i'm
pulses; it is an incentive to false
hood, deceit and crime.
Search through the history of this
hateful thing, and read one page
over which some mother can bow her
grateful head and thank God for ali
the saloon did for her boy. There is
no such record All its history is
written in tears and blood, with
smears of shame and stains of crime,
and dark blots of disgrace Robert
J. Burdette.