The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1867-06-07
ICommunicated.l
Tntemperance.

more perhaps than ever before known in
this country. And as you cannot serve
God and Mammon, we find many from
whom we expected better lhings, like the |
Atheneans at the time of Paul's visit, |
"wholly given to idolatry'-at least to
this species of it; as that ''covetousuess, |
which is idolatry." and which is in viola !
ton of the Decalogue and the teachings Of
Holy Writ, controls many. Some who |
were regarded as our best men, have run |
riot to an unholy extreme in this way
They demand that their claims shall be
meeted out to them by nothing short of an
oyeTfowing measure, or the most scrupu-
lous care and incest poise Of the scale Of
exact justice, while they deny the justice
due to others, and undermine or overreach
those with whom they used in times past
to hold pleasant converse in sacred meas
ure and sanctimonious air. 1t seems
now that some of them would demand the
last pound Of flesh or the last drop Of
blood-were it necessary, from the womb
that bore him or the paps that gave him
suck. In regard to this, we have rarely
met with stranger times, in which it seems
the cry Of the Psalmist Ps. l2. l. is now
verified. Selfshness marks the course of
many. SelEinterest is strong motive
power, in which many would renouuce all
other sentiments, and sacrifice the best
feelings Of their nature at this unholy
shrine.
While we cannot approve this avarlce;ihere
is an extent of economy which we woald
enforce. While all seem so inten. iu the
rage for Mammon, a strange ia(atuation
comes over the Incorporate man. In his
intox;eatiou be feels rich. is lavish IN his
expenditures. careless Of his means, re-
gardl-ss Of consequences. and soon his es-
tate is squaud-Isd. The sum paid for a
single glass is small. But SONS attention
should be paid to the aggregate tAas thrown
away within given time. TIE regular,
moderate drinker would take this 25 cents
worth, say four times day. which would
make in twelve months 1865, aud wi,h a
like sum otherwise consequently expended,
would amount together to 573J. This is
a moderate calculation for the moderate
drinkcr-but with the inebriate, it is amaz-
ing. These little sums are expended
thoughuesely, by those who think them
selves economical. But they would com
plain At half those sums to be by them
given to their wives or children for neces-
saries or to crafty an innocent enjoyment;
or to the church to accomplish some be-
neyolent purpose. This is sum sufficient
TO supply family with every necessary
which the inebriate is wrtnging from them
to CRAFTY his own depraved appetite It is
equal to the value of ten or twelve good
COWS, which intemperance, like some wild
beast is destroying. This same beast in
every ueighborhood is destroying the val
ue Of this number of cattle for several
settlers, which good neighbors should try
to prevent.
This is also question of general inter
est-let us extend it to the public welfare.
Money is held as the great lever by which
our commercial machinery is moved and
government will be strong at home and re-
spected abroad, proPortionate to its pecu-
MARY resources. Economy is a prominent
feature in the creed Of political parties, and
all must admit its force.
To count one man in every hundred as a
moderate driuker OF a confirmed inebria;e,
is not above tho true state of the case. By this
we will have the sum of $50, 600 900 an
nually worse than wasted in this country,
giving no return int in want and wretch
edness. Add to this $50, 600, 600 the amoanJ
of consequent miscbiefs. ETC., and we have
the appalling sum of SlOo,OOo,oOo. This
is large sum but we will be convinced
that is within the truth, when we compute
it from the amount assumed as above, to b
expended BY one person, and apply it t.
one in every hundred extended over tn
whole country. This sum is sufficient t.
fill our country with schools and Bibles
. feed the poor, and put it in a state ofivinci
bic defense. And it may be increased, a
. we increase the above proportion to NOR
than one in every hundred of our citizens
! The true amount thus wrecklessly waste
c is much larger than we suppose. and
lost to all profitable uses.
: We are told however, that this Is not a
!. ! entire loss, but an exchange Of money an
T. products. This is an error. 1.-THE liquor
thus used have been imported, we receiy
:. no equivalent; or, if domestic manufa'
/. lures, we have lost the grain and labot
etc, used in distlling it. To these mu
be added, also, the loss from fields unit le
], houses and families wrecked and mad
desolate and wretched, and the indiyidu
and national poverty thus produced an
energy parallized. We must look also
its effects upon our industrial resources