The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-09-08
A South Calplinian's Appeal.
!.

DotltlOn has been dismissed it iS the
duty of every man in the State to vote
on the liquor question on the 18th of
ocpcmDer; and it seems to me, that
before voting, we should consider sew
eral questions.
Is 1t discharging a Christian duty.
or that of a good citizen, to vote for
personal liberty and Freedom" when
4 large portion Of our peoDIc-igno-
rant and weak need restriction and
the protection Of the stronger rather
than personal liberty?
Is ii good business to create q rev.
cnuc to run schools, keep up public
improvements. and lower taxes, from
! a traffic that costs the drinkers nearly
five times the amount paid back for
the above purposes, besides the evil
! that II produces?
Can we honestly pray. Give us this
! day our daily bread" if we vote to
lcgaiizc that which takes the bread
out OF the mouths Of thousands of
helpless women and children all over
tho State?
Is it consistent to pray, Lead us
not into temptation" and thon vote
for the greatest temptation on earth
to the poor unfortunate drunkard?
Is it using common sense or hon
csty, to ask God to deliver us from
evil when we vote to continue a husi-
ness that causes nearly all tho evil
that VIC suffer from?
| Tho liquor traffic creates intempor-
ancc in those who drink it, and de-
moralizcs the most ofNthoSe who haze
anything to do with it.
believe that fro mthe time it is
sues from the coied and poisonous
worm in the distillcry until it cmptics
into the Jaws of death, dishonor, and
crime, ii demorali2cs nearly everyone
that touches it; and do not believe
that any ono can seriously think of
intcmpcrance without being prcju-
diced against the liquor crime.
Voters, all we have TO do is to think
CT the wrccks that It produces. Think
of the suicides, of the insanity, of the
ignorance, of the dcstitution, and of
the little innocent children in the
arms Of faded, weeping and disparing
mothers, and Of the men Of genius
II has wrecked. Men often strug-
Cling with imaginary serpcnts, all
produced by the dcvilish thing called
alcohol. And when we think OF the
jails, almshouses, asylums, and scat
folds, I do not wonder that every
thoughtful man, woman, and child is
l'rciudiccd against everything that
lintoXicates.
lntcmpcrance cuts down yo, in
its vigor, manhood in It's st 9Th,
and old age in it's weakness.
1t breaks the fathers heart, be-
rcavcs the doting mother, eytin-
guishes natural affections. erascs con-
jugal love, blots out hlial attachment
blights parental hopes, and brings
down mourning age in sorrow to llc
grave.
1t produces weakness, not strength:
sickness, not health; death, not life.
1t makes wives widows, children
orphans, farmers fields, and fills cur
land with idlcness, misery, and crime.
1t feeds rheumatism, invites chol-
era, imports pestilences, and embrnc-
cs consumption.
1t cngcndcrs controversies, fosters
qLarrcis. and chcrishes riots.
II ills cur jails, supplies our aims
houses, demands our asyluums,
crowds our penitentiaries, and turn
ishes victims for our scaffolds.
1t is the life blood Of the gambler,
the element of the burglac, tile prop
lof the highwayman. and The support
Of the midnight incendiary.
1t countcnanccs the liar, respects
the thief estccms the basphcmcr
violates obligations, rcvcrences fraud
and honors infamy.
1t dcfamcs bcnevolcnce, hates, love,
scornS virtue, and ISLANDERS inoccnSe
1t invites the father to butcher his
helpless offspring, it helps the hus-
child to grind the parricidaNaxe
band to massacre his wife, and the
1t burns up men, consumes women,
dctests life, curses God, and despiscs
heaven.