Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-11-08

HEAD r WHIsK Y.

should be left unemployed TO cure il. Our
liquor law is Of utility in so far AS it Restraints
the open sale Of strong liquors and blasts
the rurnseller Is q criminal but it is not
wholly effective in preventing drunkenness,
and is not made as efficient as a proper de-
gree Of activity on the part OF temperance
men would render it. II does not affect beer
selling or wine guzzling, or the saloons
where these diluted poisons arc deal. out.
We must add other agencies, then, to that of
tho law, in our efforts fortemperance reform.
The Order Of Good Templars is the only ef>
fec,ive organized agency in our midst. Its
chief objects are to rescue the fallen and to
save the young from falling. 1t seeks to in.
spire its members with such aspirit Of faith,
Hope and Charity as will render them faith
full workers in the cause Of temperance res
form. The Lodges Of this Order in our
county have accomplished untold good, des.
pi,e the opposition of those who profess to
be temperance men and women, but whose
temperance, IlhC tueH IeIiSlOHy wv OiVch ~
ses to nothing higher than the negative
practice Of virtues which they make no ef.
forts to promulgate. Even we're all profess.
edly temperance people TO lend their infiu>
ence to the Order Of Good Templars, still
other means might be effectually used to
guard the rising generation from the snares
Of the saloon.
We have long had in mind a plan for this
purpose which we will proceed to unfold !:
not, however, without some misgiyings as to
the manner in which il will be received by
those individuals who consider il a high mis-.
demeanor for mankind to indulge in any
kind Of amusements. We do not speak 70
this too numerous class, who will live and
die with elongated faces and chronic mo.
roseness but to those who believe that man.
kind may be elevated by making their in-
dulgences profitable and eleyating as well ns
plessurable.
We assert, without fear OF contradiction,
that il is natural for young men to seek
amusement. Indeed, with three>fourths Of
the young men of America, it seems to be a
passion which they are bound to crafty. IF
young men are forced into beer or whisky
saloons to find this amusement, they will in
evitably yield more or less to the influences
Of the atmosphere surrounding them. The
consequence we all too well know. If, on
the contrary, their indulgence in their natu-
raj appetite for recreation leads them under
der higher influences, she result cannot but
be to heir advantage. II is not the amuse>
men,s which con,amina,e and lead to des.
t%ruc,ion, but the baneful Influences sur
rounding them.
IT. then, amuse,nents can be provided in
the midst Of eleva,ing and refining infuen>
ces, . way wi have been discovered by which
our young men may indulge q natural ap-
petite for recreation, without any risk Of
hursful consequences, but rather with the
certainty that they vii! become better by
rcason Of their surroundings.
Let US suppose our Lyceum Library suis>
ably enlarged, aud a good reading room es>
,ablished, open TO the public under certain
very moderate restrictions. We have here
an influence for good which would prove
most potent, if properly employed. Now
lie. Us suppose that directly in connection
with the library and reading room, a res.au-
rant and billiard room are opened, liquors
Of every description, whether stronger or
weaker, being entirely excluded from all the
rooms. Lee, some man Of good standing and
irreproachnble character, be employed to
take charge Of all the rooms, upon q reason.
able salary. Then let the profits Of the res
taurant and billiard room 60 to the support
Of the reading room and library. Under
this arrangement, whoever INDUCED in o
dish of oysters or ice-cream, or a game Of
billiards lone Of the most harmless Of games,
when removed from evil associations. would
feel that he was sustaining a library and
reading room whose benefits he could enjoy
n, pleasure, and whose influence in behalf
Of morality and a higher state Of society must
be salu,ary. Three-sourths Of the young
men who now f-equcnt the beer billiard sa>
loon would prefer to pa.ronize a place Of
amusement where they need not Lose their
self respect, bat rather be refined by the i'm
auences surrounding them, and be led into
habits of reading and thought which would
prove vastly useful TO them.
There is nothing visionary in this plan,
although its contamination could not be ef
fec.ed until suitable rooms could be secured
and vigorous action taken on the part Of our
citizens. Meantime, the library of the Ly-
ceum ough, to be increased and made wor.
thy Of the city. Every new membership
gives one dollar towards the enlargement Of
the library. The membership Of the Lyce>
um ough, to be increased one hundred this
winter. Whatever surplus arises from the
Lyccum course Of lectures also goes toward
the enlargement Of the library.