The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-06

Nor has the prohibitory legislation in ssne Of the
New England States been more successful. 1t has
succeeded in placing screen a the door OF the bar
room, but not in arreshng the traffic the bar. To
make cold water the exclusive nauonal beverage has
been found, and ever viii be found as VIC 5eheve,
ImpTacticable; and IL practicable. would OF be per-
ntnent The same craving for some sImulant
which made man abandon those primitive habits
when his beverage was water ION the spring"
would induce him TO do It aRain as long as human
nature remains unchanged.
The remedy for national intemperance, We are
persuaded 10 not in the abolition disuse OF every
beverage but cold water, but IN the substitution
q hurtu beverage one which IS harmless.
We ieel that the manu1acturinE and vending of
malt liquor Is not injurious TO our fellow citizens.
but thai the more the manufacture and sale Of Il is
and the revenue of the q government increased Malt
liquor has been pronounced by high medical autho-
rty mot only an innocent, but salubriOus bever-
age for those whose diet is not very nuirtive."
Happy Is that country" says an eminent E, glish
physician whose laboriDg classes prefer such
Leverage to those mischieyOus potations of ardent
spirits" Our own observation, aDO Information de-
rived nom Others both attest the ruth OF tins re-
mark. We have seen, as we have stated above,
thou ands of persons-men, women, and children
IN The German States. assembled, drinking their
national beverage and enjoying their natio nal games
ahu spOIs WIN lne gIeatest hlihIly anu nave lhlleu
TO see drunken one among them. The natives of
these States who emigrate TO this country bring
with them their preferences for the leverage and the
sports and amusements of their fatherland. No
policemen are required to protect ;he public peace
1rom any disturbance by "S@ngerfest or Cur
neryeren" When the services OF the police are re-
qured at these festivals it is to guard their peaceful
reunions and innocent enioyments from the nso ent
and riotous intrusion oil rUfiians inspired by quite
different potations.
The consequences of an habitual indulgence
which leads so frequently TO the excessive use of
spirits that, when the stimulus Is withdrawn the
nervous 81 stem is depressed below ITS normal tone.
The result IS that craving which we cali the thirst
tor liquor An artificial stimulus, then, is necessary
TO restore Their normal condition, and the quantity
required 1or this purpose constantly increases, But
no such effects follow from the use OF malt liquors,
which have nutiin ent IN the malt n tonic IN the
percentage alcohol.
They are stimuants, ii is true; but, like tea aud
coffee "they cheer, but not inebriae." Hence, 1t IS
comparatively easy for a man TO abandon the habit
OF using malt liquor to excess, perhaps easier
than TO abandon the excessive use OF tea and
coffee; while every mans observation will tell
him how rare are the instances in which the deep
drinkers Of ardent spirits have been able TO beTate
Themselves from the thradom OF demon to whom
they voluntarily became slaves,
Our country has just passed through gigantic
civil war. -Four millions OF laborers have passed
from state OF bondage and tutelnge to that of
dom and seltdependence; they have emerged from
condition untTelndly TO the cultivation of strength
of will and habits OF se-control lher habits, and
consequently the wealth which their industry will
add TO the country, will be Influenced IN some de
gree by the beverage of which they will habiuallY
What shall this beH Shall it be distilled spirits
whose habltual use induces that ntemperance which
statesmen and phianthroplsts alike deploreY Or
shall 1t be a milo and harmless beverage, which the
taste and policy Of the most civilized communities
approve, and whose beneficial effects national
habits their national character Tor temperance de-
monstTatesH The future character OF the whole
aboring population of the southern section OF our
country will be influenced by the response OF the
Government to these questions 1t is true, the Gov
enment cannot, by direct leg station, prescribe
what shall be the beverage of the people, or of any
part OF them; but they can discriminate in their
excise laws as they have done in their Tariff laws
betW subjects of taxation, for reasons OF public
policy As they have given incidental protection to
manufacturers in their duties imports, they can
in the same way, in their excise laws, encourage
any other object which concerns the welfare of the
peop.e. Respectfully submitted.
FREDERIC COLLINS,
MATTHEW L. READ,
FREDERICK LAURR.