North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-06-01
A Temperance Revival..How can II te
Effected!
BY Hon. SCHUYLER CoLrAx

with graves and our houses with mourn
ing, every lover Of humanity would feel il
his duty to use his utmost influence to al.
rest its deathly progress. Every preven-
tive to its spread would be tested. Every
habit of life that contributed to its pro-
gress would be abandoned. Boards of
Health would appeal to the people. The
press would vigorously second these ap.
peals. And organizations Of those who
appreciated the danger would labor per-
sonally with those less informed to induce
them to aid in arresting the march Of the
destroyer.
But a more fatal cpedemic than the
cholera from the jungles Of India or the
yellow fever from the malaria Of the
tropics, is in our midst. Not as an occas-
ional visitor. Not to yield to the health
reviving frosts of the autumn. But year
after year, in winter "a we'll as summer,
acclimated and nationalized, it goes on
with its work-sweeping on, almost un-
checked, in its career of horrid triumph.
More numerous than ever before are
the devotees of this self-destroying habit
of intempcrance. Sadder than ever be-
fore are the records of its woes. Gloom
ier than ever before the prospect before
us, unless the public mind can lie appeal
ed to more successfully than during the
2 past ten years. ! scarcely dare quote
statistics, they appear go appalling in the
aggregate. But when l state that those
who have given the closest attention to
the subject estimate that the amount paid
for liquor by retail throughout the land
annually equals ene-third of the national
debt :; that there are four hundred thou
sand more persons in the United States
engaged in manufacturing and selling in.
toxicating beverages than there are pas
tors Of all our churchcs--Protestant and
Catholic, Jew and Gentile-and teachers
in all our schools and colleges; that fully
ono-half Of all the murders, felonies,
breaches Of the peace, and pauperism, can
be traced directly to intemperance and
that every year fifty thousand of our oiti.
zens, an army in number, go dowa to the
drunkard's grave-you may make as large
discount as you choose from these esti.
mates, and what is left is enough to make
any unhardened heart sad indeed. Dur
ing the last year an increased interest has
been manifested in this subject, and meet
ings in many localities have been more fre-
quent. But before last year, it might be safe
to say that during the past ten years there
has not been M average Of more than one
or two public temperance meetings per
year ia every township and ward in the
United States, taking the whole country
together.
do not intend to discuss in this article
the question whether the attempts to
check or suppress intemperance by illegal
suasion' namely, by positively prohibi-
ting the sale of all intoxicating beverages,
or by the organization of temperance
party, have or have not advanced the re-
4esult all rhilarthropists have SO much at
heart-rcdemption of our deluded fellow
men from the thraldom of this evil. 1
know not how many Of the purest and
trucst men and women believe that that is
the way which is the wisest and best. /
realize the logic of their theory. But in
all reforms we should rather labor for
benefcent results than for the triumph of
any theory.
Without criticising any other plan Of
labor, therefore, or arguing any other the
DRY, ask to be permitted to suggest as
the most effective way to awaken the much
needed revival Of temperance ia our land.
Il involves psrsonal effort and unremitting
labor, III slsvates the idea of individual
| responsibility. tsdses not content itself
with one, or two, o. half,a-dozen temper
ance .neetings:psr rear. Y rsmembers that
to promote religion, faithful, constant and
p<ssiatsnt, continuous work is noeded-
that On edifce and organization ars in-
ssul6eisnt without the constant preachipg
sef ths word and the Oft and oftaeitefatsd
appai1st1 the sinner, the Sabbath as4she
weekday meetings from year to year, and
all those other indications Of healthy,
effective, active, and growing church.
What propose is, similar labor, anima-
ted by similar spirit, and imbued with a
similar individual responsibility, which
le0As on every incbriate as q brother, fall
81 though he may be, and holds out help
ingtand to save him from the destruction
sowhich he is fastening, and to restore
& him, clothed in his right mind, to family
and friends. 1t is to 80 persistently and
dpesmittingly present facts and arguments
tesase the minds of all, that the rising
eessration may be thoroughly fortified
aAgaipskjts temptations and preserved from
them, aud that those who drink modera-
Itely may realize their danger, and, if not
6ftAeirpwn sake, yet for the example
upon others, voluntarily surrender such
Sntelligent reader will see that what
is the revival, as far Ms prac-
tid that kind of labpF kaown
thu G ago as the Wasliagfoniaa re-
for hoss rulipg psiaeipls wss 70 per-
suads rather & pelt & I6 wonder
full Ajef G yak fEded away from
the Iid Never was there such a
0okfs Anlt5hed in any nation. Never