the yoke which it fastens upon them. They will believe
the most barefaced lies, assent to the shallowest sophisms of the
liquor-dealers, and turn a deaf ear to the most evident dictates of
common sense, justice, and prudence.

I think it is Thomas Carlyle says: "England has a population of thirty
millions, mostly fools." The same comment is fairly applicable to every
so-called civilized people in the world. The dealers say, "It is a
benefit to trade." The fools echo, "We can not have prosperity in state,
county, or town without the dram-shops." The brewers and distillers say,
"It enhances the value of property and products of all kinds." The fools
answer, with idiotic promptness and docility, "Yes, we must continue
this ulcerous cancer upon the body politic--this unclean, pestilential,
gangrenous sore, reeking with disease, vice, poverty, madness, to
increase the price of grain." Yes, gentlemen, grain is more profitable
deposited in the stomach of your son or your neighbor's son, in the form
of whisky, mixed with sundry deadly drugs to give it "tone," than in
pork, beef, or mutton, or transformed into the power which sets the
whirling spindles of the East in motion, fires up the black caverns of a
thousand furnaces, and fills unnumbered homes with joy and plenty. This
would do very well if you saw fit to wait till the redeemed drunkard
would recover health and manly ambition, and provide his family with
sufficient food, clothing, and shelter. But there is a more direct way
to turn your produce into money. Transform it into liquor. With this,
arm the vampires that suck the people's blood, and turn them loose after
him. Post them in every city, village, cross-roads. They will strip him,
ruin him, finally kill him; but never mind that. They will make you
quick returns in bright dollars. There is, however, one disadvantage
incident to this method, which is worthy of consideration. The victims
of the dram-seller die, and he must make more drunkards or his business
will be gone. He may get his clutches on your boy. He will, if he can.
This would be very unpleasant. However, if such a thing should occur,
you can drive your son away, banish him from your sight. Then, if you
should hear some time that he has ended the struggle with pistol, rope,
or poison, thus decreasing the income of yourself and your partner, the
dram-seller, you can console yourself with pious reflections on the
mysterious ways of Providence.

CHAPTER