The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-10-12
THE MEANNESS OF MOONSHIN-
ING AND THE BASENESS
on POOTI ECCTNH
OF BOOTLEGGING.


Writing in a recent issue of the
Meyersdale (Pa.) Republican, H. L.
G., the editorial man Of that paper,
pays his respects to moonshiners and
bootleggers in the following:
"Do moonshiners and bootleggers
realize how mean and cruel they are?
Realizing it, would they not quit their
nefarious business if they have an
atom of love or regard for their fell
low beings left in their callous souls D.?
"Most of the men who drink moon
shine whisky or other forbidden alco-
holic beverages, are fellows with
weakness for alcohol. Perhaps they
were born with a taste for it. Perhaps
they are just weak characters who
are unable to resist the desire for ar
tificial and violent stimulation.
"Moonshiners and bootleggers prey
upon that weakness. All the world
detests the beasts of prey among the
lower animals, those that Turk about
the focks and herds in order to leap
upon the young, the stragglers, the
sick and the inexperienced and crush
the life out of them.
makers and sellers of alcoholic
drinks take the same kind of advan-
tage, only they prey upon the weak
ness of their fellow human beings,
while wild beasts prey upon animals
of another species than their own.
These are harsh wards, but it is the
facts in the case that make them
harsh. The mere statement Of the
facts does not make them either more
or less cruel.
"There are weaklings among the
human race, men who cannot resist
. the temptation to drunkenness. They
spend for drink the money that is
needed in their homes. They often
mistreat their wives and little chill
dren. Often their wives are in tears
and their children ragged and under
nourished because the husband and
father cannot resist the temptation
to drunkenness.
'The moonshinar and bootlegger
say: Here is my chance; these men
cannot resist the temptation l will
put in their way. l will make some
easy money. These fellows cannot
keep from paying high prices for
liquor. l have no responsibility to-
wards their welfare, or towards their
families and children. l will make
some easy money even tho l ruin
their lives and cause their homes to
be hell upon earth
"Eash money! How we hate the
highwayman who holds a gun upon
his helpless victim, and while he is
helpless goes thru his pockets. What
difference is it if the victim is helpless
because of his own weakness of will
power, or because of hereditary vic
ious thirst? The moonshiner and the
bootlegger at any rate go thru the
pockets of a man who is helpless. l.
is mean, it is base to be in a business
that fiourishes upon the weakness and
vices of their fellowmen.
"a long time ago Cain, who MUIR
dered his brother Abel, tried to ex-
cuse himself by saying: "Am l my
brothers keeper?' He tried to de-
clare that he had no responsibility to-
ward his brother. 1t was his murder
Gus heart that made him take that at
titude.
"a true brother or friend will try
to help his fellowmen to overcome
temptation. He will not put tempta-
ton in their way for the sake of a
few paltry dollars. Honest money
honestly earned is the money that
real men enjoy. For the sake of filthy
gain the moenshiner and bootlegger
allowed themselves to be tricked into
becoming beings who are dominated
by the same instincts as the beast of
prey and the highwayman. Frequent
" they supply that which causes men
to become murderers, or that which
itself causes blindness or death Then
they themselves, become guilty of
manslaughter.
"Moonshiners and bootleggers
often chuckle, and imagine them
selves keen gatherers of easy money.
They ought to hang their heads in
deepest shame, and realize that the
very dogs of the streec are splendid
gentlemen in comparison to their
own cowardly, sneaking selves"