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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 7, 1911)
The Commoner. PRIIj .7, 1911 ent this year orer last year, during both of which periods w hare been without saloons, how will the friends of the liquor traffic explain that the decrease in bank clearings was 12 per cent, or twice as great, in Omaha, where they have saloons? Again let us take the bank deposits in the two cities. Here are the deposits of the four leading national banks in Omaha for the days mentioned In 1909, 1910 and 1911, and the deposits of all the banks of the city of Lincoln for the samo days, these beiDg the dates of reports: Omaha Per Cent Lincoln Per Cent April 28, 1909 $41,914,000 $8,965,400 March 29, 1910 42,243,000 .78 gain 9,225,400 2.9 gain March 7, 1911 41,429,000 1.9 loss 9.3G2.800 1.5 gain I am sorry that I cannot present the entire deposits for the city of Omaha, but the deposits of the four leading banks may be accepted as fairly representing the situation in that city. Here are the figures. If the closing of the saloons Is bad 'for the city of Lincoln, let the friends of the saloon explain why Lincoln in creased her deposits more between 1909 and 1910 than Omaha did. Let them explain,, also, why Lincoln shows a gain between 1910 and 1911 while- Omaha shows a loss. If the friends of the open saloon are going to make their fight on the ground that our city is injured in a business way by the closing, of the saloons they will have to find some other line of argument than that presented in the bank clearings, and in the bank deposits. And when, during the reign of saloons, did Lincoln ever witness in one year the erection of three such buildings as the First National bank building, the Y. M. C. A. and the Bankers' Life building. We may admit that some people will take their trade from Lincoln because of the closing of the saloons, but we must also expect that others will bring their trade to Lincoln because of the closing of the saloons. And we must remember, also, that Lincoln's advantages as a residence city and as a college center are increasing by the .greater restriction placed upon the liquor traffic. Those who are afraid Lincoln will be killed by the closing of the saloon Bhould consider the following from the latest issue of Collier's Weekly: COST OP DRINK '"Tho great bard spoke of sermons In stonos. Kansas has found sermons In grocery bills. Wichi ta, a few years ago, was tho Gibraltar of tho saloon In Kansas. Its saloons were running years after tho Kansas saloon law went into effect. Deals were mado at state conventions and nominations .secured through promises of open saloons for Wichita. The protest was long coming, but It arrived and, like many other reform movements of the day, arrived with momentum. A 'dry' mayor was elected. Heavy penalties for violation of the law were exacted. The saloons died hard, but the last vestige of them Anally passed. Note tho re sult. Before tho saloons closed, the bank clear ings of Wichita were $1,200,000 weekly. In throe years they had increased to something over three million dollars. The city, instead of going back ward, as freely predicted, has steadily grown. .A few years ago there were barely ten per cent of tho population of Wichita opposed to the saloon. Probably there are not now a very large minority of tho population who, would favor it. One news paper changed in a single day from pro-saloon to anti-saloon. In six -weeks its circulation had in creased six thousand copies. Workmen were pay ing weekly for insurance. Before the saloons closed forty per cent of these insured workmen were In arrears. Within a short time after tho enforcement of the law these arrearages had dis appeared, and many were paying in advance." Another argument made in favor of return ing to the open saloon is that the people of the state will take the capital away from Lincoln if we do not return to the saloons. Our people should not be driven into toleration of the saloon by such threats. What more damning accusa tion could be brought against those engaged in the liquor traffic than the charge which they bring against themselves, namely, that they would change the location of the seat of govern ment because Lincoln exercises the right to decide for herself what policy she will pursue oh the liquor question? And this threat comes from those who recently opposed county option on the ground that the city is the proper unit for the regulation of the liquor business, and that each city should be permitted to regulate the liquor traffic for itself! But there is another phase of the question to be considered. Suppose the friends of temperance should decide to take a hand in the fight? The liquor interests lost the state last fall. If Lin coln has to consult her safety she has more reason to fear the drys if she goes wet, than she has to fear the wets if she remains dry. But Lincoln does not deserve the capital if her citi zens are willing to purchase it by the surrender of conviction and self-respect. To barter away our Independence to secure the pecuniary ad vantages that go with the location of the" state capital would be like selling our birthright for a mess of pottage. But having considered tho two principal arguments in favor of tho reopening of tho sa loons In Lincoln, first, the false charge that tho non-saloon policy is ruining business, and, second, the threat that tho wets may move tho capital, allow me to present what I regard as an unanswerable argument against tho reopen ing of saloons in our city, namely, that tho state university is located here. I shall not speak of the other colleges which adorn our suburbs and which add to our business prosperity, and which impose obligations upon us Christian Institu tions, these suburban colleges are too, whose in terests are advanced by Lincoln's reputation for cleanliness and sobriety. Let us consider simply tho influence of tho university and our indebted ness to it. Tho university's addition to tho city's wealth Is considerable. The state appropriates about $750,000 per year for its support, and its nearly 4,000 students spend fully $1,000,000 in tho city each year. Do our business men owe nothing to these students? Are -we at liberty to set man-traps to catch tho young men who come here to obtain an education? Do not at tempt to hide behind the pretense that tho stu dents would be better off under an open saloon policy. I' challenge you to put this argument to the test. Leave the question to the faculty and students. Will the advocates of tho saloon abide by the decision? They have already answered the question In the negative. The liquor in terests the very interests that defeated the at tempt to extend the period of naturalization for immigrants ignorant of our language and our laws are attempting to disfranchise students who represent the best intelligence of the state. And why is this attempt made? Because they know that the students do not go to the brewers for advice. But our obligation to the university Is more than a pecuniary one. The intellectual atmos phere which the university creates is worth more to Lincoln than the money derived from the in stitution. It raises the standard of scholarship in our community and makes it easier and cheaper to educate our children.. Can we accept these advantages and feel no responsibility for the welfare of tho students who gather hero? But the university is more still. It Is not only a financial benefit and an intellectual advantage, but it Is a moral asset. Wo can not measure in dollars and cents the value of the stimulus which the Nebraska University gives to higher Ideals In this city. We shall basely repudiate an immeasurable debt if we allow the boisterous clamor of tho brewers to drown tho voice of conscience. And now a word in conclusion. I have given as fairly as I could the arguments advanced in favor of a return to the open saloon and I have presented arguments that seem to me to be conclusive against that policy, but I have considered the subject from the standpoint of the present. We must go farther; must look into the future. We must recognize the trend of events. The world is moving forward toward a' universal brotherhood, and our nation leads the advance. The growth in the temperance sentiment throughout the world is a part of tho general march toward higher ground, and its growth is visible in all countries. Shall we keep step with the army, or shall we re treat? Shall we fix our eyes on "the pillar of cloud" and"the pillar of flro" that guide us to the promised land of higher life, or shall we turn back to the "flesh pots?" This question, like every other great question, is in its last analysis a question of ethics, a question which the heart must decide. They may bring forth all the gold-washed promises that the saloons can offer; let them pile up their tinsel pledges until the confidence game is played to its limit, and they can be answered with the inquiry propounded by Him who "spake as never man spake," "What shall It profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" LOOKING BACKWARD Monongahela, Pa., March 26, 1911. Editor of The Commoner: In view of the fact that tho men calling themselves conservative democrats are preparing to take charge of the democratic party to influence its councils and dictate its policies it seems to me that the democrats all over this land should take a glance back over the road we have traveled for the last fifteen or twenty years. By studying the past history, of these men we may get some idea of what may be expected of them in the future. These con servative democrats are men like the editors of tho New York World, the Baltimore Sun and many others whoso names time and space for bids me to write. They are men who have posed as domocrats between campaigns, but when the crisis of battlo wib at hand they could Invariably bo found either oponly or socretly giving aid and comfort to tho enemy. They have boon to tho democratic party what Benedict Arnold was to tho American colonics and what Judas Iscarlot was to Jesus Christ. By their actions they havo aided and abetted tho republican party In de vising and enacting tho most vicious and unjust legislation that has disgraced tho statutes of this government since chattel slavery was abolished, Thoy aro In a great moasuro responsible for tho fact that the wealth of this nation and the wcl faro of the people havo been placod in tho hands of a few men whoso greed seems to bo insatiable, men who, as somo one has said, boliovo that they were born into tho world booted and spurred ready to ride and that the mass of tho people were born saddled and brldlod ready to bo ridden. These few men havo cornered the products of tho earth. They have gathered up tho bles sings that God has showered upon this land In great abundance and they have locked thorn away from a starving people. The ordinary man cannot conceive what tho goal of their ambition is but we do know that In every stop of their progress thoy aro sotting their foot upon tho upturned forces of struggling humanity. Wo know tho blood of thousands of their fellow men Is dripping from thoir garments and wo know that millions of helpless women and children In this land today are cold and hungry In ordor that their wealth, already beyond tho dreams of avarice, may be Increased. Does any sane man boliovo that present con ditions can permanently endure? Bo not de ceived. God Is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall ho also reap. This scrip ture is as true today as when it was written. It is as true of nations as it is of individuals. In tho days of anti-slavery agitation beforo several hundred thousands of us wero called from our homes to save this nation from destruction at tho hands of men who Ignored tho rights of humanity and had forgotten that God ruled in the armies of Heaven and over the children of men, I remember reading a sermon that had been preached by ono of tho eloquent divines of tho land in which ho seemingly proved from the Bible that slavery was a divine Institution, that it was ordained of God and that His curse would fall upon any who had tho temerity to meddle with It. I have never heard of any of that kind of preaching since Appomatox. From our experience of the last fifteen or twenty years wo might think that tho power of concentrated wealth was omnipotent, but I am fully persuaded that there are two forces be fore which it is helpless, and they are the Justice of God and an enlightened public conscience. I am convinced that a large majority of the voters of this nation have been awakened to the magni tude of the crimes being perpetrated under the guise of law and they are determined that the system that has brought about the present con dition shall be overthrown. I am also con vinced that tho reform forces 'cannot be led by the men who are responsible for our present ills. This movement will call for leaders whoso lives and actions correspond with their profes sions and I rejoice to know that we have such men in the democratic party. We havo men who have stood for the right against all opposition, men who have neither bowed the knee to Baal or prostrated themselves before the golden calf, men who havo refused to crook the pregnant hinges of the knee that thrift might follow favoring. This letter is longer than I intended but there is one phase of the situation that is surprising to the average citizen and that is the attitude of our ex-president, after sojourning in Africa for some months, where he spent his days in shooting animals that had been coralled by the natives, and from present indications I presume his nights were spent in devising ways to help his country. At any rate he has seen a great light, and by the time he reached our shores on his homeward journey he had fallen violently In love with the poor people, especially the work ingmen, so much so that he proposes to annul tho constitution and establish a government after his own ideas in' order that he may love them more effectually. The surprising thing about him is his sudden and complete conversion. During the seven years that he was president of the United States, although the poor people were groaning under burdens that he and mem bers of his party in congress, aided by con servative democrats, had fastened upon thenu Yet we never heard of his losing any sleep wor rying over their troubles. The only, effort tc . benefit the poor that he made during his aft