The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-23
The Temperance Refo,n.
r1rE EprroR OF THE PRESS:

THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS:
SIR,-Will you permit me to express few
thoughts upon a subject which vitally affects
us all, and see if any improvement can be
made by more united effort for suppressing
the vice Of Intemperance in this community.
IL IS a fact that our best citizens differ land
honestly too in the course to be pursued and
the means to be used in accomplishing the
greatest amount OF good, The older portion
oil our citizens well remember the vast amount
OF good that was accomplished by the Wash
iDgtonian Society, the love and good will To-
wards men that prevailed under the labors of
that glorious and praiseworthy Society. and
with what wonder and astonishment we be-
held its operations in reforming drunkards
and closing the dram shops OF our city, and
that too without the aid of Law. Well do we
remember and sadly do we behold the great
great change that has taken place since the
law was resorted to. ll
For about fifteen years have we been apply
ing the law, and how have we succeeded? l
ask you capdidly, since the law has been ap-
Piled, has not Intemperance been on the in
crease? Has not the past year been specially
marked for intemperance, and have not pros
eeutions been abundant? Was the law ever
more vigorously enforced than it has been the
past year? Who can say that our officers
have not done their duty in this respect p
The fact is we are on the wrong track. We
have abandoned those principles which the
greatest reformer the world ever saw institute
ed for the reformation and salvation of men.
He came proclaiming peace on earth and good
will to men, and instituted that Golden Rule.
SIN all things whatsoever ye would that men
should do unto you, do ye even SO to them."-
Is this principle, are these doctrines, enter
tanned by our leading temperance men OF the
present day? 1t must be strange interpre-
tation of those doctrines which Christ insti-
tuted, to answer in the affirmative; but nay,
is it not malice, envy, hatred, evil speaking,
evil surmisings, SANDER and such like that rule
the passions of leading temperance men of
the present day? Who are the most popular
lecturers on the subject of Temperance at the
present day? Why, those who are the most
successful in exciting the passions, and use
the strongest expressions, call the hardest
names, and can make the most people laugh
at their expressions. Such an one is the most
popular lecturer and the one that is sought
for and run after by the multitude. while he
who offers sound logic can hardly obtain a
hearing. s7,. -iJ US i..F ll .l.s
u Ought these things so to be? Let us then
look into the matter, and candidly discuss it,
and adopt the best course to accomplish the
greatest amount of good. I think for one
that our Temperance men Of the present day
have got hold of the wrong end of the rope
and are hauling in Intemperance instead of
Temperance. 1t is certain that men will i'm
prove an opportunity to make money and SO
long as there is demand for intoxicating
drinks, so long there will be a supply. If we
want check put upon this business we must
stop the demand, and that is just what the
Washingtonian Society did. They labored
with the rum drinker instead of fighting the
rum seller, They took away his customers,
and he had to shut up shop. Why do noe our
rum sellers close their doors after so many
prosecutions? 1t is because their profit is large
and the temptation great. 1t was not so un-
der the Washingtonian Society's operations. =
Every one sold liquor who had mind to, and
the competition that had prevailed for years
reduced the profits so low that there was little
or nothing made at it, and the rum seller had
as lief give it up as not. But how is ii now 2
Prosecutions have raised the profits on liquor
SO high that the rum seller will continue, al.
though he may be prosecuted every week.
As law cannot accomplish the desired OBJ
ject in our large towns and cities, why not
abandon the law and try some other course ?
1t is said moral suasion will not stop all the
rum sellers from selling, and say neither will
the law. Moral suasion has accomplished
more good in this city than the law has For
my part do not know the first rum shop
that the law has shut up, while l know Of
many that were closed under the influence OF
the Washingtonian Society, and 1 for one
should like to see that Society revived, and
all well-wishers to the cause of temperance
united in the work Of Restraining men from
strong drink and persuading them to aban-
don their cups by love and good will. Men
will not be driven in matters partaking OF a
moral or religious nature.
~. a.. A WAsHINGToNIAN.