The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-04-21
D,unxennes. Nor,n aud south.

|
to attract attention. This ia really 81
extraordinary statement, which man,
would hesitate to credit or notice bu
for the unquestioned respectabillty ant
trustworthyness of our contemporary
A drunken woman is hardly ever seer
in the streets OF Cincinnati, and we be-
lieve the same remark may be made o
the cities south of US. Yet we have nc
Maine Prohib tory Liquor Law, and
they havel 1t seems that they canno
enforce it-not only not restrain the
men, but even the women, who gener-
ally are exempt from the vice oil intern
perance, are conspicuous against pro.
h'bition. The idea of stringent laws
against the sale OF liquor had naturally
its origin among those who suffered
most by it. tits not temperance people
who generally require prohibition. Its
benefits are intended to reach
quite another class. There are perhaps
some who think that whisky drinking
is more perceptibly the vice of the
South. But it is great mistake 1t
is the inhab tants Of the North who in
dulge to excess in the pernicious habit
OF imbibing strong alcoholic drinks
| The further north we 90 the greater
the excess, and the further south the
less. The drunken nations of Europe
are the northern portions, such, for
instance, a. the Russians, the Swedes,
the Danes and the Scotch. The
Southern people, ike the Italians, the
Spaniards, the Southern French, the
Greeks. if they drink at all, only use
the light wines of their country, which
contain but small percentage OF alco-
hol. In those countries drunkenness is
almost unknown. But in the North Of
Europe, where they drink the strongest
nrandies and WHISTLES, intemperance
makes fearful ravages among all classes
o; society In our own country, we once
asked q distinguished temperance
lecturer, who had visited and spoke on
the subject in all the States OF the
Union, what State he considered as the
worst in it's lntemperance. He imme-
lately replied Connecticut, and after
that Massachusetts. The appellstion
Of LAND of steady habits" which had
been applied to Connecticut, was, it
seems, in irony and derision.
Some years ago Lucy Stone said, in
a public lecture, that there were forty
thousand drunksrds in Massachusetts,
and that the number, despite prohibi.
ton laws, was steadily increasing. 1t
NAV be asked how that can be, when
Massachusetts is a Puritan State, set
tied originally by that class OF people,
and to-day largely guarded by these
prohibitives Strange to say, that while
the Puritans were extremely severe On
all social vices and excuses, they were
remarkably liberal or rather indulgent
toward the worst Of al, that OF using
alcoholic stimulants. Every one who
has ever read copies OF the account
books of our old New England snces-
tors has been struck with the conspicu.
Gus position occupied by the charges
for rum and other liquors. Less than
a half century ago the clergy drank,
and drank to excess, in New England.
LIQUOR WAS everywhere furnished, not
onIy on private sideboards, but At we'd
dinrs, cbristenings and funerals. Under
such An education the present genera
ton grew up. and it is no wonder that
thew have a taste-both men and wo-
mentor spirituous stimulants. The
Maine Law" reform had it's origin
exactly in the place where it was most
needed. An acquaintance OF ours, 8
gentleman OF great observation and
sagac ty, who had long been in Wash
ington, told us, many years ago. that
drinking was not near 30 msch the
tsult OF the South az of the North e.
Now" SAYS he, look at the members
of Congress. | can name you a halt
dozen rom the North who consume
more whisky than all the members
from the S,uth. Why, there is such a
one from Virginia, or Tennessee, or
Georgia (uaming the men); they have
each a bottle in their rooms, and that
lasts nearly the whole session tor them
selves and their friends This ls gener'
sIly the case with all representatives
from that section. But our Northern
men. accustomed to our ice and SHOWS,
drink learfully, and we have q num-
Der of druukards in our Congressional
delegation, while the South has not
one" We all know the three late bib
ulous Senatorial gentlemen. They
were Chandler, OF NJ lchigan, Yates, OF
limos, and Salisbury, OF Delaware,
all from the North. .,
1--we take the ground that it is with
in the province OF the Government 10
prohibit drunkenness and prevent the
INDULGENCE in liquor to excess, 1t can
ONLY he done in one way, and that 10 10
prohibit lis manufacture at home and IT'S
;mport from abroad. As long as 1t IL
suffered to be made and to be brought
into our ports it will be drank. There
il no doubt of that. There will always
be enough thoughtless aud reckless
people who will injure themselves phys
ically and morally:by it. Many OF the
State Governments seek to discourage
its use. But the Federal Government
encourage it by relying upon its lsrges
sale Tor the revenue which detrays III
EXPENDITURES. Thus the two govern
ments are really in sntagonism in rela
ton to it. Iu the Maine Law States II
ouor i'm ported in the original packages
which have paid duty TO the Fedora
Government, cannot be disturbed o.
seized BY any State process. Otherwis'
the revenue laws OF the United State
would be a fraud and a cheat OF TIT
first magnitude. Then there is lsrg
duty on the internal manufacture OF INT
article, which seems TO concede that
can be made, and that provided tn
duty is paid, it is right and legitimate
| All this ahn4a that the tenn.