The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-03-27

and second one, and down a long
dark passage at the far end of which
was a ground glass door. l did not
pass that door, but guessed what was
beyond, 1t prohibition does not pro-
mint 1t does prevent open, gilded
oars with their manifold temptations,
and requires skulking and cunning to
get the destroying hre-waterl The
following from the Springfield
(Mass.) Republican puts the facts
we'll:
The saloon is an encouragement by
way OF contrast with the travern and
country store of (say) rs years ago.
Then, the lawyer, the doctor, the de-
con, the elder, the judge and the min
lister as well as the traveller and the
day laborer drank as they liked at
the>hotel bar. Liquors flowed freely
at weddings, at funerals, alta house
or barn raisings, in the harvest field
and not onl vat New-year's but alta
ordinary social calls. Mothers, as the
writer has occasion to remember, sent
their little boys to the village store
for decanter of Medford or Jamai-
ca rum with which to entertain a
friend, and they did this with as little
thought of harm or wrong as though
1t would have been for a purchase of
sugar, -four or tea. Drinking, habitual
drinking even, was then no disquali-
hcation for any position of honor or
trust.
Mark the change. Today any man,
young or old, who is known to drink
can hardly find any responsible or
good-paying situation. Today, if it be
only wine that is offered a calling or
visiting friend, it is no longer thought
discourteous to decline it. Even the
guest W no might not think partaking
, wrong in itself, is not held to be mar
row and overstrict, if he urges ST.
Paurs fine example of self-denial: off
meat make my brother to offend,
will eat no meat while the world
stands"
There is another up-to-date ground
vote license under the mistaken idea
that the license fees help to towns
or city's finances; that they lower the
tax rate. On the contrary it is get
ting to be quite generally seen that it
would be money in the towns or
clty's pocket if, instead of taking the
saloon keepers money, the city or
town should give him that amount on
condition that he close his saloon and
keep it closed; meantime, no more
drinking resorts be allowed to open.
1t is as easily seen as arithmetic. Add
up all the saloons cost in the way of
police, OF court, of prison and reform
atory expenses, subtract the sum total
of the license fees, and what do we
find? People are, in constantly in
creasing numbers, coming to the con-
clusion thata the licensing town or
city has made foolish bargain in
simply a financial point of view.
But after all, this is a small matter
to the harm the saloon does in other
ways; to its sending the otherwise
wage-saving and helpful husband and
father to be disturbance in his home
rather than a comfort; a curse rather
than a blessing. Let this man be
taken sick with smallpox, scarlet fe-
yer or diphteria and the city quaran-
tines the house. Yet what wife would
not rather, thousand times rather,
nurse a sober husband through either
of tese diseases, than take care of a
/ husband who comes home from the
saloon, staggering and besotted; more
brute tan mani Would not the sem
sible thing be to quarantine the sa-
loon?
OBSERVER.