The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-04-03
LOOKING AT THINGS AS j
DRUNKARD MIGHT

FeOplS III LHeir ignorance Oh the
terrible hold which strong drink has
upon "a man once an appetite has
been created or inherited, as the case
may be, are prone to be very harsh
in their judgment of the poor victim,
who often is to be more pitied than
ensured
They forget to despise the sin and
love the sinner, as Jesus would do,
5ut despise the sinner and vote to
have the sin continued
Appetite is the hardest thing in the
world to control. People who look
With scorn and loathing upon a drunk
en- man may themselves be as intern
Oerate in their eating as he is in his
drinking; and while it dosen't make
them maudlin and foolish as he is, it
just as surely destroys health
shortens life and is a sin because it
renders them unfit to do their best
Let them try to control their ap-
petite and be more temperate, and
they will have more sympathy for
the man who Graves strong drink and
has every kind of temptation in his
way by unprincipled men who care
only for the money they may make
out of his misfortune.
How can a nation be so blind to its
own interests as to permit anything
within it's borders that is so destruc-
tive to manhood? We need our men,
all of them, and we need them at
their best.
What does a man care for his coun-
try-why, he dosen't even care for his
own family his brain is on
fire and his body in torture with the
craving of drink? And still less does
he know or care for anything when
his brain is clouded and his limbs
refuse to carry him in a straight lima
because he has satisfied that craving
for the time being.
Who can tell the remorse he suf
fers in the times when his brain is
clear and he can see how he is max
ing his loved ones, suffer, or of the
many resolves he makes never to re-
peat the offense?
But the old craving comes back. !
He struggles against it for days, may
be weeksAat time. 1t grows fercer, |
but still he will not yield Then along
comes some good CD friend, or a
travelling salesman showing his |
wares. and 10! everything else is for
gotten.
The horrible craving is now so
keen he would fight, he would suffer
any pain to get one drink-he must
have it. He will go without bread if
there is no way to obtain both, but |
drink he must and will have.
Who will the good God in heaven,
who sees and knows all, condemn |
most-the man who takes the drink, |
or the man who votes to have it |
kept before him. and then makes !
laws to have him locked up in prison
and be fined for getting drunk That |
voter is like man who would lay |
down a piece of meat before a starv- !
ing dog and then beat the dog for |
eating it.
The saloon keeper isn't the only
one who is destroying men for the |
sake of money. The voter is likewise |
destroying them, because he thinks
the money obtained by licenses will
help improve his town.
Perhaps it will 1t may be a large
enough sum to build the Jail in which
to keep the victims of high license"
That is surely an improvement to any
town.
But before he is locked up there
may be crimes committed which will
cost the county or state a larger sum
of money. The voter must be taxed
by paying his cost. Where has he
gained anything through this license?
He has voted to have his own taxes
increased, to have intellectual pro-
gress hindered, to have crime in
creased. o voter, stop and think
what are you voting for.
One writer, WHO has made a study
of the subject, says: 1.-THE direct and
indirect cost of the liquor traffic for
twelve months is fully equal to all the
pensions paid by the United States
since the foundation of the govern
ment"