The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1913-09-05

8 2ef -
THE AMERICAN ISSUE

sumed before there is any increase in the per capita
consumption hen again, Tor four years there has
been no marvellous increase II nO-lcense territory
(the West Virginia law not going into effect until
1919, and with the steady increase III population
mostly in the cities and mining districts which are
Weu-nlgh universally wet, It would be marvelousy
strange there not steady increase III the pro
ducton and consumption of ntoxcants.
But the liquor problem is not to be gagged by any
UGH surface conditions. The wrong of the system
VIII not be cured by study IN statistics. If liquor
drinking is the increase it is an added argument
for system Of Prohibition that will be universal in
It's application. The success Of the propaganda to
overthrow the liquor traffic is be measured by
the fact that few towns go dry go each year.
vet by the status of and convictions for
drunkenness and crime nor by the effect of the saloon
or its abolition upon trade and taxes All those ee-
nents important as they are, are but incidental the
main question, that the United States is fostering ana
protecting gigantic system of inquity that only
debauches citizenship, corrupts public morals and
blasts the happiness of the home but also blocks the
path OF the Church in its mission of human redemption
condemns humanity in great sections to spiritual
DEATH and by its unhoy touch corrupts the fountains
OF our social, civic and national life.
he Church cannot thrive while the saloon thrives
and there is coming conflict the impact of which
will test the Church it has yet been tested and
which will shake republic to it's Depths No STU
dent of the liquor problem avoid any other con-
cuson. Either the Church must run away or it must
stand and meet the tide of tremendous moral battle
that is inevitable. Evil has been the aggressor al
ready too long, and the attacks of the Church have
been too largely general and desutory.
With half Our population free from the open sa-
loon, and the other half in its deadly CLUTCH we are in
imminent danger of developing wholly different
and antagonstic civilizations in the government
with no possibility of natural and sympathetic
assimilation The country cannot permanently exist
half drunk and half sober Ultimately, either we must
go back and surrender half Our population to the
greed of the saloon which is unthinkabe PROPOSE
ton must rally and concentrate the forces of
righteousness for we'll defined attempt to free the
other half
That is the problem in nutshell It is no easy
task that the Church is facing. The rum power is
desperate, is standing with its back to the wall and
thus far has beaten its enemies in its manner of fight
ing It exces in aggressiveness, in organization in
its ability to control the channels of power With all
its activity the Church not yet half aroused In
stralghout contest at the polls the saloon can count
vet upon too large percentage of the Christian
Church. Too many others content to let the sa-
loon have its way only family resisting, if ALL and
in no sense aggressive. Too long that portion of the
Church which is aroused has been fighting in separate
camps. A divided army can never whip united foe
In the tace OF Crisis it is worse than folly for those
who should be allies to be hurting anathemas at one
another