The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-02

man-Americans of New York State. These,
though substantially in sympathy with the
Republicans and bitterly opposed to the
Catholic Irish, are driven from our ranks by
the attempt of many of our friends to urge
extreme abstinence legislation onh the party.
We need not say to the readers of the Times
that we have the highest respect for the
motives and objects of the Temperance
party. We should regret seeming in any way
to obstruct their legitimate and moral work.
They are struggling with the most gigantic
evil of modern civilization, and they do 1t
consistently by themselves abstaining en-
tirely from even innocent indulgence. Still,
their field is the moral one, not the political.
Extreme legislation will only produce reac-
ton. The Republican party is, moreover,
not the organization for their efforts. They
should form total abstinence" party, apart
from all political organizations. Neither can
we forget, when these reformers urge ex-
treme legislation for the laboring classes,
that the great majority of the American mid
die classes do new in their own homes in
dulge in moderate and innocent drinking
which such laws would not check.
It is also a great mistake, which those who
have argued against us in this matter have
made, that the Germans demand nothing but
unbounded license. The Germans, it is true,
have had for generations very different social
habits from our own. They are mainly ma
tiVes of wine countries, and, as is the custom
of such people the world over, are in the
habit of drinking, in family and socially,
somewhat freely of light beers and wines,
which are much less alcoholic than our cider.
AS general thing, they are less given to in
toxication than our own people or the Irish.
In arriving here under different climate,
with stronger liquors in use and dearer wines,
and among people of different social GUS
toms, the more sensible part of them see the
prepriety and necessity of somewhat changing
their habits. They behold every day, in the
Irish quarters of the city, and in the Ameri-
oan bar-rooms, the frightful effects of unre-
strained whisky and rum drinking. They see
the long roll of crimes against persons and
property every Monday morning, committed
on the Sunday IN our corner groceries and
rum shops Now, we should be doing vio-
lence to all that we know of the good sense
of the Communications, if we did not sup
pose that they were open to any reasonable
compromise on the subject Of public drink
ing. There is one, for instance, very simple
and practical, which has not at all been suffi-
GENTLY considered, but which would make a
vast practical difference in public tempe
rance; that is, law forbidding the sale of
any liquor in places where provisions were
sold, thus taking away the incessant tempta-
tion from laborers and women who are run
mug up dC0OuuIS puICudS6S
groceries. Then, again, the distinction
which could be easily made between selling
alcoholic liquors and beers. Or still further,
the permitting the opening of beer gardens
on Sunday afternoon. Any, or all of these
compromises would, we believe, be accept
able to the great majority of the German
Americans, simply on the grounds of public
policy and general welfare; the community
having the right to preserve a part of one
day for its own repose or order, and to
forbid dangerous stimulants to the working
and other classes when they were most likely
| to be tempted to criminal actions.
Our own reformers, however, would unhesi-
tatingly reject any such compromises, on the
| ground of conscience But the sensible and
wise citizen, seeing that in great cosmopoli
tan city like this he could not make all the
people what he would have them, either il
religion or morals, would be glad of the
second best thing-to preserve some erdel
and temperance, and check extreme indul
| gence and crime. United, the German ant
American Republicans could accomplish this
separated, we have what we see now-corrup
tion in government and unlimited license il
social habits.