questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



forgive　me　for　the　past；　and　I　will　never　touch　liquor　again。'　　She

threw　her　arms　around　his　neck；　and　the　hot　tears　told　her　heartfelt

joy　as　she　sobbed　out：　　'Charley；　I　thank　you　a　thousand　times。　　I

never　expected　so　nice　a　cloak。　　This　seems　like　other　days。　　You　are

so　good；　and　I　am　so　happy。'〃　　The　drink　bill　of　our　Nation　for　last

year　was　over　a　billion　of　dollars；　more　money　than　was　spent　for

missionshome　and　foreignfor　all　of　our　Churches；　for　public

education；　for　all　the　operations　of　courts　of　justice　and　of　public

officers；　and　at　least　for　two　of　the　staple　products　of　use　in　our

country；　such　as　furniture　and　flour。　　More　than　for　all　these　was　the

money　that　our　Nation　paid　for　drink　last　year。　　When　the　people　of

our　country　get　their　eyes　open　to　the　cost　and　degradation　of　the

drink　evil；　something　definite　will　be　done　by　every　one　against　it。



The　drink　evil　in　its　relation　to　lawlessness　and　crime；　and　to　political

corruption；　reveal　still　more　ghastly　aspects　of　it　than　we　have　yet

mentioned。　　The　saloon　strikes　at　the　very　heart；　not　only　of　law　and

order；　but　at　personal　liberty　and　justice　in　securing　law　and　order。　　It

was　in　a　police　court　in　Cincinnati　on　Monday　morning。　　Before　the

judge　stood　two　stalwart　policeman　and　a　woman。　　She　was　charged

with　disorderly　conduct　on　the　street　and　with　disturbing　the　peace。

The　policemen　were　sworn；　and　one　of　them　told　this　story；　to　which

the　other　one　agreed。　　He　said：　　〃I　arrested　the　woman　in　front　of　a

saloon　on　Broadway　on　Saturday　night。　　She　had　raised　a　great

disturbance；　was　fighting　and　brawling　with　men　in　the　saloon；　and

the　saloonkeeper　put　her　out。　　She　used　the　foulest　language；　and　with

an　awful　threat　struck　at　the　saloonkeeper　with　all　her　force。　　I　then

arrested　her；　took　her　to　the　detention　house；　and　locked　her　up。〃　　The

saloonkeeper　was　called　to　the　witness　stand；　and　said：　　〃I　know　dis

voman's　vas　making　disturbance　by　my　saloon。　　She　comes　and　she

makes　troubles；　und　she　fights　mit　me；　und　I　put　her　de　door　oud。　　I

know　her　all　along。　　She　vas　pad　vomans。〃　　The　judge　turned　to　the

trembling　woman　and　said：　　〃This　is　a　pretty　clear　case；　madam；　have

you　anything　to　say　in　your　defense？〃　　〃Yes；　Judge；〃　she　answered；

in　a　strangely　calm；　though　trembling；　voice：　　〃I　am　not　guilty　of　the

charge；　and　these　men　standing　before　you　have　perjured　their　souls

to　prevent　me　from　telling　the　truth。　　It　was　they；　not　I；　who　violated

the　law。　　I　was　in　the　saloon　last　Saturday　night；　and　I　will　tell　you

how　it　happened。　　My　husband　did　not　come　home　from　work　that

evening；　and　I　feared　he　had　gone　to　the　saloon。　　I　knew　he　must

have　drawn　his　week's　wages；　and　we　needed　it　all　so　badly。　　I　put

the　little　ones　to　bed；　and　then　waited　all　alone　through　the　weary

hours　until　after　the　city　clock　struck　twelve。　　Then　I　thought　the

saloons　will　be　closed；　and　he　will　be　put　out　on　to　the　street。

Probably　he　will　not　be　able　to　get　home；　and　the　police　will　arrest

him　and　lock　him　up。　　I　must　go　and　find　him；　and　bring　him　home。

I　wrapped　a　shawl　about　me　and　started　out；　leaving　the　little　ones

asleep　in　bed。　　And；　Judge；　I　have　not　seen　them　since。〃　　She　did

not　give　way　to　tears；　for　the　worst　grief　can　not　weep。　　She

continued：　　〃I　went　to　the　saloon；　where　I　thought　most　like　he　would

be。　　It　was　about　twenty　minutes　after　twelve；　but　the　saloon；　that

man's　saloon〃pointing　to　the　saloonkeeper；　who　now　wanted　to

crouch　out　of　sight〃was　still　open；　and　my　husband　and　these　two

policemen　were　standing　at　the　bar　drinking　together。　　I　stepped　up

to　my　husband　and　asked　him　to　go　home　with　me；　but　the　men　laughed

at　him；　and　the　saloonkeeper　ordered　me　out。　　I　said；　'No；　I　want　my

husband　to　go　home　with　me。'　　Then　I　tried　to　tell　him　how　badly　we

were　needing　the　money　that　he　was　spending；　and　then　the　saloon…

keeper　cursed　me；　and　told　me　to　leave。　　Then　I　confess　I　could　stand

no　more；　and　said；　'You　ought　to　be　prosecuted　for　violating　the

midnight　closing　law。'　　At　this　the　saloonkeeper　and　policemen　rushed

upon　me　and　put　me　into　the　street；　and　one　of　the　policemen；　grasping

my　arm　like　a　vice；　hissed　in　my　ear；　'I'll　get　you　a　thirty　days'　sentence

in　the　workhouse；　and　then　we'll　see　what　you　think　about　suing　people。'

He　called　a　patrol　wagon；　pushed　me　in；　and　drove　to　jail；　and；　Judge；

you　know　the　rest。　　All　day　yesterday　I　was　locked　up；　my　children　at

home　alone；　with　no　fire；　no　food；　no　mother。〃　　The　judge　dismissed

the　woman；　but　the　saloonkeeper；　the　perjured　policemen；　nor　the

corrupt　judge　were　ever　prosecuted　for　their　unlawfulness。　　The　whole

affair　was　dropped　because　the　saloon　power　in　Cincinnati　reigns

supreme。　　〃This　case　is　a　matter　of　record　in　the　Cincinnati　courts。〃

It　is　a　disgraceful　fact　that　the　liquor…traffic　rules　in　politics　to…day。　　A

saloonkeeper　in　Richmond；　Virginia；　overheard　some　one　talking　of

reform　in　municipal　politics；　when　he　scornfully　said：　　〃Any　bar…room

in　Richmond　is　a　bigger　man　in　politics　than　all　the　Churches　in　Richmond

put　together。〃



IV。　THE　PRACTICAL　QUESTION　FOR　US　HERE　AND　NOW　IS；

How　may　we　openly　oppose　this　drink　evil？



The　Churches　need　not　expect　a　widespread　revival　of　religion　until

professing　Christians　do　their　duty　with　respect　to　the　saloon。　　Mothers

and　fathers　need　not　expect　their　sons　to　remain　sober　while　the　saloon

opens　to　them　day　and　night。　　Wives　need　not　expect　their　husbands　to

remain　devoted　and　loyal　until　the　saloon　is　abolished。　　What　is　our

duty？　　How　shall　we　oppose　the　evil？　　How　do　the　American　people

deal　with　evils　when　they　deal　with　them　at　all？　　When　Great　Britain

went　a　little　too　far　in　〃taxation　without　representation；〃　what　course

did　the　American　Colonies　adopt　in　remedying　the　evil？　　Their　chief

men　said；　〃These　Colonies　are；　and　of　right　ought　to　be；　free　and

independent　States。〃　　The　popular　voice　of　the　people　decided　it。

When　the　British　Government　unduly　impressed　American　seamen；

how　was　the　difficulty　settled？　　The　representatives　of　the　people；

their　lawmakers；　declared　war　against　the　opposing　nation；　and

forced　her　to　cease　her　oppression。　　The　popular　vote　decided　it。　　When

Negro　slavery　darkened　the　entire　sky　of　our　country；　and　caused　our

leading　men　to　realize　that　we　could　not　long　exist　half…slave　and

half…free；　how　was　the　dark　cloud　dispelled？　　The　representatives　of

our　people；　the　lawmakers　of　the　land；　in　letters　of　blood　wrote　the

immortal　Thirteenth　Amendment　to　the　American　Constitution：

〃Neither　slavery　nor　involuntary　servitude；　except　as　a　punishment

for　crime；　whereof　the　person　shall　have　been　duly　convicted；　shall

exist　within　the　United　States；　or　any　place　subject　to　their　jurisdiction。〃

When　we　wanted　to　increase　our　territory　in　1803；　and　in　1845；　and　in

1867；　how　did　we　go　about　it？　　The　representatives　of　the　people；　the

lawmakers　of　the　land；　voted　to　make　the　purchases；　and　they　were

made。　　When　a　Territory　is　organized；　or　a　State　comes　into　the　Union；

what　is　done？　　The　representatives　of　the　people；　the　lawmakers　of　the

land；　vote　upon　it；　and　it　is　done。　　When　treaties　are　to　be　made　with

foreign　countries；　when　immigration　of　foreigners　is　to　be　regulated；

when　money　is　to　be　borrowed　or　coined；　when　post…offices　and

post…roads　are　to　be　established；　when　counterfeiting　is　to　be　punished；

and　public　abuses　are　to　be　reformed；　whose　business　is　it？　　The

Constitution　of　the　United　States　says　the　representatives　of　the　people；

the　lawmakers　of　the　land；　have　this　power。　　When　will　the　drink　evil

cease　in　our　country？　　When　our　representatives　in　Congress；　or

lawmakers；　stand　for　the　abolition　of　the　American　saloon；　and　vote

it　out　of　existence；　then；　and　not　until　then；　will　drunkenness　cease。

When　will　we　have　representatives　in　Congress；　lawmakers　who　will

stand　for　the　abolition　of　the　saloon；　and　who　will　vote　it　out　of

existence？　　Not　until　you　and　I　have　select　them；　and　place　them　there

with　our　vote。　　To　expect　Christian　temperance　in　our　country　from

any　other　source　is　absolute　folly。



The　abolition　of　drunkenness　by　local　option　is　selfish；　unpractical；

and　unscriptural。　　You　vote　the　liquor…traffic　out　of　your　town；　we

vote　it　in　ours。　　Remember　every　saloon　exists　only　by　vote　of　the

people。　　Your　young　people　come　over　to　our　town　for　drink。　　We　have

the　curse　of　God　upon　us。　　〃Woe　unto　him　that　giveth　his　neighbor

drink。〃　　（Hab。　Ii；　15。）　　It　is　unpractical；　for　so　long　as　intoxicants　are

made　they　will　be　sold。　　It　is　selfish；　for　to　vote　against　the　saloon　in

your　town　election；　and　to　vote　for　it　in　your　State　or　National　election；

is　to　drive　the　mad…dog　on　past　your　door　to　the　door　of　your　neighbor；

when　you　might　have　killed　him。



The　abolition　of　drunkenness　by　regulating　the　traffic　through　license

is　the　most　gigantic　delusion　that　Satan　ever　worked　upon　an　intelligent

people。