The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-10-13

beet wisdom and our hrst duty. "-Edmund Burke.
on the land "-Fdfher 1dtthesc.
There is an evil in our midst greater than
Taxation and the Lottery combined. Its i'm
mense and terrible effect are visible in every
direction, though but in part. and it's indirect
influences are widespread and appalling. Its
prevalence, when partially revealed by statis-
teal figures, is all but incredible, and its ex-
isteuce utterly without excuse.
Through it and it's appointments we have,
both in town and country, endangered our
good name and advertised a needless but prime
cause of our poverty. The disgrace Of this
evil is that it is selfimposed. Not the war,
nor aught springiug out of the wars results !;
not the climate or any disadvantage that time
or longitude imposes; bet our OWE wills, sub
serving the base demands of appetite and
caprice, lays upon burden, not only griev-
Gus to be borne, but destructive to every true
liberty of bodies, souls and estates-a canker
at once in the purse, the bowels and the heart.
The adult population of Louisiana, including
all races and classes is about 100000. This
population consumes annually 4,OOO,0 900 gal
Ions of whisky and beer, with other liquors
in proportion "a money value sufficient
to build two railroads to Texas in single
twelvemonth. Our people have groaned over
their poverty till I'll cir cries have. filed the
heavens as with a thick smoke; and yet the.
oblations poured by those (alas, how many y
who make their belly their god would have
laid, since the 'car, twenty-five millions worth of
railroad, and blessed our land with the blessing
of Joseph; We should be this day fruitful
bough, even a fruitful bough by n WE'LL whose
branches run over the wall"
Every figure used in this connection is au-
thenticated from the highest sources. Brevity
compels that they be put forward at present
without being established by demonstration,
but should one statement be called in question
positive proof is pledged
Three great complaints are, in this State, the
leading fashion of the day; the burden of tax
alton, the lack of capital, and the sluggish
ness OF enterprise. Great lamentation is made
that the main staple of the State is curtailed
for the want of capital to restore the waste
places yet, Gas the Pcayune, through the pen
Of an able statistician, lately stately, in four
contiguous sugar parishes, liquor is bought
and consumed annually, to the value of more
than $500 barrels of sugar What wonder if
the horrid figures pass belief Would that to
discEedit were to disprove them. They are
true. Nay, so low are the estimates, the whole
truth reaches far beyond. The amount of
whisky drank in these four parishes is equal
to a ration of pint day toevery adult male,
and at the lowest market value equivalent to
a yearly poll tax of $50 upon every voter
What room have we left to write our Jeremiads
on taxationf Who Expresses us as we Cypress
ourselvesf Who seek our ruin with the zest
and haste with which we run towards itI No
answer is possible. We are oar own tyrants.
But, peradVenture, the liquor consumption
in the section instHuced exceeds the average of
the State at large. Not at all. The two sets
of figures agree with painful exactness. What
then; are our men such frightful drinkers as