To Liquor Dealers by C. S. Woodruff

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 15, 1882

To Liquor Dealers.

By C. S. Woodruff

You try to make us believe that your business is an honorable one. If it is honorable, why do you seek to cover it up and screen it from the public gaze? Why those screens upon the windows, and extra doors in front of the place of business? Why not leave your place of business open, as the grocer and the butcher and the baker and the druggist and the dry goods dealer do? When my baker makes fine bread he puts it into the window in the most conspicuous place; when my butcher gets a piece of beef that makes the mouth water to look at it, he exposes it to public view; the grocer has his door open and his goods exposed. Why does the liquor dealer not do the same, if his business is honorable?

When you make a successful work, why not expose it? When you have a man fixed up as only your business can fix him, why not lay him out where he can be seen? Why not put a pile of beer kegs on the sidewalk and lay the man on it, and say, I have been all day fixing him! For it takes all day in this lager beer business. Just look at the bloat! to-morrow morning he may have a tremendous headache! Then put out another man and say, It did not take so long with him; I fixed him up with brandy—it is more expensive at first, but the work is done more quickly. Then here is another; this poor fellow had not much money, so I gave him Jersey lightning, and I have to turn him over every fifteen minutes, for if I left him longer in one position the liquor would burn through him and escape. Why not put these men out and say, These are the results of my business—noble, honorable business! Will you answer now? Will you answer in the public papers?—Rev. C. S. Woodruff.