Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-01-28

The Speaker OF the Iowa House has ap-
pointed committee ''los the suppression
of intcmperance. We do not knew the
snimus OF this committee. The names of
Rohlfs and Trusdell follow each other on
The list, bu. the deliberations Of the com
mittec will place these gentlemen as far
apart rs the poles. II is evident that the
Speaker intended to be strictly impartial
and non-committal in his appointments.
and there is nothing 10 indicate any new
policy on the part Of the legislative body.
relative TO the suppression OF incompetence.
But there is NJ question of the repeal OF
the present law; and If 1t be amended, the
will be in the interests or
severer prohibition. Temperance men are
In the m, shortly in Iowa, aud they predomi-
nate in the legislature; and II il shall DO
Thought thss the cause Of temperance will
be promoted by . destruction Of the vine
yards in Iowa, and BY demolition Of the
besweriss. there will be no hesita ton In
both grape vines and beer vsts
out Of existence. There are those Who
honestly and ardently advocate this very
thing, and Ne know that the legislature will
Be unceasiugly importuned BY these gentle
which nov protects wine. end beer from the
penalties Of prohibition, and not . few Of
our legislators will willingly listen to these
opportunities. Here then are vast interests
and considerable liberty At stake, and it be-
comes us 20 ssrieusly inquire II the results
to be attained ere propsrtionsts in import
ancs to the great industries and benefits 10
be sacrificed, and whether in fact these
wished for results are certain Of attainment
even after 30 costly . price has been paid
for them.
We propose in this article to deal with
these questions - to wine alone, and NO ad-
vance At once 70 our conviction that no safer
or more powerful ally can be engaged on
the side OF Temperance, than the grape !;
that nothing will so certainly insure the
promotion Of temperance, - the very thing
which good temperance would have aup-
prssssd-the manufacture Of native wines.
This conviction 10 based upon observations
made in wine country, whore wine is the
common everyday beverage Of poor and
rich, and where during Ave years resi-
dence 10 . populous city Of that country Va
failed 10 see any Of tho native inhabitsnts in
the least degree intoxicated. And this tes-
timony 10 corroboratsd by nine out of every
ten persons who travel in France, Italy OF
Spain, and who make this subject one Of
careful investigation. The inhabitants oi
these countries cannot understand why Z
man should drink 70 intoxication; they
have q natural adherence for drunkenness
cannot be made to sec it's delights. and ere
apparently shielded from oil temptation
Where lies the secret Of THE Temperance In
countries where wine 10 the MONDAY bsv-
esage at the rich mans table, and the coed
cheer Of the laborer in the fsldf The an
swer IL found. Let. in the cultivated taste oi
these countries, and 80 cultivated by wine
drinking; I'd, in the bountiful supply oil
good cheap wine, whose rich favor elevate,
the taste above the vile dscootioss Of III,
bas-room, whose bountifuluess avoids tn,
scclusiOu Of the saloon, and whose thirst
quenching and life revivifying qualities
make il an unsivaled drink fos eli. And
how does it Affect shs physique Of thss,
people. No healthier people exist on thu
globe than the inhabitants Of vine growing
| countries. Nowhere can be seen finer
| Physiques. . greater longevity, or more
beautiful old age. than in those Who have
| used the native wines Of their country - Z
common beverage from youth up. What
wine has done for other nations it may dc
Tor ours. Our soil is now producing better
| grapes than ever ornamepted the tables OIL
Europe, aud our wines, now in their in
| fancy. already compare favorab.y with th,
Old Worlds best brands. LIE. our Legsla
turs encourage vineyard planting all owe,
the State; make the best fruit Of the earth
fruit for the million; let its red juice flow
bonn,ifully everywhere, and when these
ends shall be reached, . grea.er result still
will have been attained, for Temperance
will be with US aud with w to stay
But the objection is urged, that wine.
selling is q cover tor the sale oil intoxicating
liquors. This may be irus to some extent
but we meet this objection by saying that
while our tastes crave these unwholesome
drinks, they will continue to be cold to VI
under one name or another, though every
| grape vine in Iowa was torn up by the
roots. liz not under tho name OF Wine
then 81" Red jacket" plantation Bitters,
or the hundred other names which the poi
son or its dealers delight in. Mako good
native wine plenty, and "Blus Ruin" has
gone forever; there will be mono so poor al
to do il reverence.
But can legislation 60 SO far ~ to inter
dict vine growingi If not then q iegisla
ton which should permit the mauufactur,
Of vine for homo use, but prohibit its sale
would discriminate in favor Of the farmer
and against the denizen Of our towns and
cities. Under such legislation, the landed
proprietor might indulge his taste at will
his cellar might be stored with wine, his
table blessed with it at every meal, his fam
lily partakipg Of It's benefits and pleasure.
daily, while "neither love nor money
would enable families in our cities 20 enjoy
like advantages. Such legislation won't d.
for iowa.
But it is quito right. quite the proper
thing, for temperance men, you know, to
drink wine, When Oshea and his party.
sent to spy out the land of Canaan, came
into that land. tho irst thing they appea,
to have noticed we're the grapes Of Eschol, q
cluster Of which WAS taken back to the con
gregstion. and shown - the fruit Of the
promised land. These grapes were real
ixation to them, and intended to be 10 by
their God, of the good things there in store
for them. In succeeding sgs, our Saviour
walked through this land, drawing his "a
vorite parallels from the vineyard, and psr
taking Of its fruis and wine. The Scribss
snd Phariasss called him . vine bibbss.
Goo