The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-10-06
A Great Public Evil.

n OECGtt uDAhC
The growth of intemperance in our commu
mites can but bs viewed with consern by al
who witch the signs OF the times and give
their full place to the Influences foa good OF
evil that pertain 10 society. Any references
to the passion for drink, on platform, in pulpi,
or press, - prone to, calls into consideration
with vary ing sentiments Of sympathy or 9TH
arwi Q, the yarious machinery in time past, OF
preseut operation to check or cure this evil
Old partizanships, antagopisms and rivalries,
in al Gent party lines, start up spectrally be
fore the timid mind. But il is possible to
speak of the dangers Of shipwrecks without
that maker of life boats. 1t is very easy TO
decry and find fault with Chicago water with
our making such reference subserveut to the
interests of this or that manufacturer Of filters.
The public can be warned Of a great and
growing evil, and each man convinced can
take home to himself The consideration of
remedies. 4
The evil Of drunkenness 10 becoming
more aud more openly feature ofour social
ife. The snares it il setting for the young
men ofthe nation, the victims il is finding
among those TO whom the present generation
is shortly 10 commit its important trusts, are
all forcing themselves powerfully and painfully
upon the observation Of the very many who
have the welfare Of the country at heart, aud
see in this curse weakening and waste Of its
beat forces Of national life Scarcely reader
Of the Tribune can look through the list of
bis own near acquaintances and relatives,
without reading in painful living pictures the
truth Of This statement.
Il is an easy and common method to dis
pose Of ibis subject, 10 say this ia a time of
war. IL is impossible not to see that the en-
hancing of this danger ofsociety has been len.
fold since tbs gathering Of our great armes.-
The boon companionship Of military life, the
enemy of the recruiting station and the camp,
the removal Of the ordinary restraints Of the
domestic circle, have all had their effect in
losing the bonds that have safely held the citi-
zen to sobriety and Temperance. The evil in
our armies is happily less among the sold
iers, to large degree saved by the strict rules
of the service. 1t has wrought its fuller ef-
fects among the officers, the liberal patrons of
the army merchant whose tempting spirit
cases 60 TO all parts of the lines. Could the
catalogue be made oul of shames and crimes,
to be sacrifices OF brave men, the selfImmola-
tion of noble souls thus squandered TIE people
would sta' appalled,. Yet men do talk of
them. Common conversation singles ont this
and that commander aud once promising off.
Ger, as the victim OF this vice, perhaps dismiss.
ed in Disgrace, or gone home To die, DOT be-
cause of a Southern climate, but because Of
habit whose deadly blight no mism can equal
From the army the evil eeches back upon
the people there is more license, less restraint
The effect who cannot see. The result who
does not dread. The time will come when
this evil must receive the attention Of all who
aim to be conservators OF the introsts OF socie.
ty. There never was a time in the history Of
this or any other nation when tho rewards Of
sobrlety were more tempting than now. Th Zero
never wa q ca for higher manhood, a no
bier premium offered TO prominence in all th.
traits that ennoble humanity than now, when
our nation is in the furnace, to be cast anew.
IL had not been given to those of more peace
fu preceding generations to work at tho labor
OF Datioubuilding. If the period has its trials,
it is studded thick with trumphs. We are
laying anew the national wall. and the names
Of worthy workers will build into its face,
nemento for all coming lime.
Let few plain words enforce the lesson of
the hour. Our trumphs in this battle ag are
not alone on the corpse strewn field. The
grandest victories yet won sinca tlis war broke
out have shed ink, not blood, in a triumph OF
principle President and people have moved
long arrows flights forward in march gran
der and more terrible to opponents than the
earth shaking tread Of armies The evil re.
ferred to must Lot be allowed to grow while
the care Of tie people is diverted 10 other bu-
ties. That cannot be a light evil which rods
society OF her young mes, its strong men,
To every one to whom this conviction is
brought, belongs an allotted share of duty.
Granted the existence Of the curse and blight,
whoever by personal infuanee, and example,
and labor, lessou',i's power, and sets one sin
gle etake 10 the bounds to its spread, has in
SO much benefithd the age and the country.