Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-06-05
For the Dela,eare Republican
Small Change and Temper
ance Men.

Bulwer, the great English novelist, who
few months since "lai his weary pen aside"
and with transformations display was buried in
the solemn gloom of Westminster, where the
honored dust of so many distinguished Britons
lie, in one of his many works speaks of a man
'who dealt himself out in small change" He was
so clever at so many things that the continual
wonder was that he did not accomplish some
great thing. lie could make a graceful post
prandial speech and possessed thousand other
pleasant accomplishments, which were all re-
marketable only as they Were suggestive Of what
he might do. However, he never was a success,
only negatively that is, to put il paradoxically,
he was successful in being unsuccessful, hecaus,
in the pertinent phraseolsy of Bulser; 'He
dealt himself out in small change 1t was
siXpence here and sixpence there, till the
whole pound was gone. In fact the pound of
his genius was spent in sixpnnceS of effort. ~
most reforms many apound ofvalnable strength
is expended in small change OF frivolous en-
beavers. Instead of one mighty effort there
are thousand skirmishes. A thousand sklr-
mlshes may result, II million BULLETS may be
shot and the continual rattle of musketry be
heard from smiling morn till dewy eve, but
When the skirmishes are ended, the bullets fired
and the rattle ofthe musketry died on the sir,
the army is found tcnting on the same old
ground. Nothing of permanent advantage has
been gained, no great contest is added 10 the
historic page
A band of temperance men can be found in
this city, too many oil them but spend their en-
ergles in small change. To-day they lake one
little effort, tomorrow another. "a sXpence
here and siXpence there Their attempts
raise temporary excite nent among their neigh
bors, but it soon passes away. 1t causes just a
little thought but no fear. And what is the re
suit? Each onslaught weakens themselves
Strong men, who when they do anything do it
with all their might, become digusted aud quit
the temperance ranks.
Thus after while the temperance army,
which United in one strong and powerful charge
| would have utterly defeated the enemy, by the
| ''sma change" tactics of its leaders is routsl
and scattered into fusilade and firing squads,
| one squad firing back bravey on the enemy
from Delaware Avenue, while the other little
squads have entirely disappeared from view.
1t Is this way of spending mighty force in
| small change which led Victor Hugo to promul-
gate the aphorism "Ravolutions cannot be fore
! ed upon people" To be sure every revolution
necessarily Is forced upon people, but We are to
suppose that the great trenchman meant to say
could not be forced by revolutionary leaders.
Not Till the nation is ripe for reform does the
| reform come But even then if the nation fol
lowed the emasculating manner of dealing with
| the evil which "small change" reformers use,
| the results woald be identical But the State,
when the time for reform is fully come,
1 strikes with all its available force massed.-
The effect is Immediate. Old fogyism smokes
| with the blow.
What is the plea Of this article !? 1t is that
| the temperance organization OF Wilmington
give us the crisp, uI.broken greenback and not
I It's representative pennies. If we must have
meetings let us iii the course of the summer
have one grand overwhelming effort, which shall
| be three months wonder, and cause Il three
months talk, rather than dozen little, sickly,
sentimental affairs, such as those which are
now being held on the Avenue, and which ale
forgotten ere the community has blown out
| the evening lamp. Suppose Stephen Girard
| had gone about the country and dealt ont to
five hundred youths five dollars each to pay the
expenses Of his education, would lie have ac-
/ compllshed as grand results as he will with
| that two million and half built into the uni
| versity in Philadelphia which bears his name
! and which will educate thousand youths Tor
twice Thousand years And so would it not
| be better TO have one grand temperance effort,
That shall make score of temperance men for
life, than seole Of public meetings, that shall
| each save one man for three months.
| Finally, have not we, good Temperance peo-
pie, spent about all the small change we ought /?
! j. r. d.