Health and Temperance by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 12, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 31.

Health and Temperance.

By Editor

A Free Advertisement for "The Bacchus."

If a paper entitled "The Murderer's Journal" should present itself and state that it comes "to fill a long-felt want;" that these are times demanding the greatest personal liberty, and that the "associated murderers" desire to lay before the great American people the necessity of adopting the most scientific methods of killing people, as well as the necessity of murdering a stated number of people each month, the result would be that considerable interest might be taken in the matter. Even the religious journals would consider the subject in carefully prepared editorials; sermons would be preached; public meetings held; the people would arise in their might, and the "associated murderers" would find themselves enjoying their personal liberty in a space measuring about 7x4 feet.

If a druggist accidentally gives out morphine instead of quinine, and the patient dies, there is an immense amount of newspaper talk, lawyer's talk, and damage suits; but the same druggist can sell whisky, vile with belladonna, opium, stramonium, or cocculus indicus, to a man for whose crazy actions or even deed of murder following, no one but the drinker is held responsible.

"The Bacchus Publishing Co.,"—that sounds well, doesn't it? Bonfort's Wine and Spirit Circular says concerning this new journal:—

"BACCHUS.—A particularly lively new member has just taken its place in the ranks of trade journalism. Bacchus yclept, and profusely illustrated, it proclaims its intention 'to wage war against shams of all descriptions, whether political, social, theological, national, State, or local.' The illustrations are very good, the letter press admirable, and the editorial work ably done. We have no doubt that the paper will be a very valuable reinforcement to the little army that is fighting the formidable hosts of prohibition."

We particularly admire the modesty of this editor—"the little army" vs. "the formidable hosts of prohibition!" Poor little innocent dears, what a pity they have to be annoyed.—Union Signal.