The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-01-05

From the Floridian, we reproduce
the following, which has much time
ly truth in it, tho, of course, we can
not agree with all it says. It is of
the more value because it is written
by man who, while not claiming to
be a prohibitionist, sees and is not
afraid to denounce the evils of the
liquor traffic:
HObsOn's Christmas Present
Our friend Lake Jones has picture
hanging in his Office that he ought to
have given Congressman Richmond
Pearson Hobson. 1t is a cartoon of
an old hfe-saver standing on a deck
leisurely reading newspaper as a
man fell overheard and began to yell
for help. The life-saver barely glanc-
ed at him and contemptuously re-
piled Stay whar you belong. you
dam Prohibitionist!"
But while we may all joke now at
the fate of Mr.. Hobson's pet bill, we
believe the time will come when this
proposition will be enacted into law.
We mean this prediction that the days
of the retail whiskey men are number
ed. We can see. the handwriting on
the wall
We are not attempting to say
whether or not This may be wise
step for the country at large. There
are too many sides to the question.
Wildcat distilleries may spring up
in every nook and corner of the whole
country. The United States marshals
and deputies required to break up and
destroy these "blind tigers" together
with the attending misery of the fam
lies of such violators of the law, the
absolute necessity for alcohol in
compounding every single tincture OF
fluid extract used in the practice of
medicine and in surgery, are potent
! arguments against it.
But let us look at the other sides
Think of the millions of dollars ruth,
lessly wasted in bar-rooms boozine
and of the wanton misery it wrings
from the poor and oppressed They
talk about "Local Option There
never was, nor can there ever be al
long as the express companies are al
lowed to haul it into these so-callec
dry counties by the train load.
We have heard a great deal o.
tsVested Rights and Personal Priv
Hedges" but no man has either RICH
or privilege to bring shame and hu
initiation upon the wife he has sworl
to honor. We see men go into saloon
and spend their last nickle, whel
they themselves cannot wear a decen
collar, nor buy their families a loa
of bread. Such conditions are NOR
deplorable than we now care to por
tray. They tell US that the salool
man pays for his licenses and is onl
engaged in a legitimate business. Blu
the dollars with which he buys thi
privilege and is compelled to ge
back from the men just describe
are too often stepped in the life-bloo
of these weaklings and the tears Q
those he has wronged.
And yet it is a fact well-know
among scientists, that of all the cres
tions of the animal kingdom, ther
N are only two who will go back to tn
same spot for the second drunk
D One is a man and the other a hog
Individually, our most serious oil
lection to the bar-room is that it or,
ates and perpetuates idleness. &C
Almighty knew what He was tall
ing about when He pronounced tn;
!, divine sentence, "Six days shalt the
:, labor!" 1t is just as much a con
mandment as either of those tn
warn US, "Thou shalt not steal"
'Thou shalt do no murder!" And y
are here to tell you that the pc,
devil who habitually INDUCES in tn
g idleness, thus breaking the comman
: ment first here quoted, will bre;
: either of the others whenever al
. wherever the privation incurr
n through sin may demand.
w A careful study or 'sizing up"
lie the physics of large majority of t
lyoung men we daily see lettering