The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-10
Where Social Reform Must Originate.


In the present age of the world we en-
joy countless advantages over all that
nave gone before US, in the comforts and
conveniences which the grasping, COM
prehensive mind of man, with the bless-
ing of God, continually brings TO lipht
but with the multiplied wants and
puny strength of the present day. each
new invention to economiZe time and
toll seems only just sufficient to enable
man to exist until something more can
be done to tighten his grievous burdens
His complicated and numberless bodily
ills drag him down like an incubus and
chain his mind to the dust when il should
surmount the clouds. Men of intellect
and learning spend their lives con-
cocting drugs with which to combat
the multiplicity of diseases which Drev
upon humanity, and humanity blindIv
reeklessly, swallows all, patent pills.
quack nostrums, and, above all. ardent
spirits In the form OF bitters and tonfcs.
which last still further inflame those
gross animal passions which, all admit.
are, in their unchecked career, the root
OF nine-tenths of these debilities. 1t is
acknowledged that excessive indulgence
mas robbed man of his primitive vigor
and given rise to a long train of fright
fiict the race until means can be used to
end them. The sooner this is done the
better, and the trouble must be met
boldly.
1t is useless to cry out against social
depravity and deplOre its evil work and
never lift a weapon against it. 1t is
equally useless to fight against remote
consequences and leave the ruling cause
untouched. Why cannot men learn the
folly of battling against effects, while
nurturing and fostering causes? Why
bewail the work of the destroyer in des-
Olated homes and the blighted promises
of many q fair young life, and call
the strong arm of vengeance on the
head of the evil dOeT; and still purge
not the hidden springs of iniquity, and
ignore the fact that those same mourn
ing households have contributed, and
still contribute their mite to the deep
fountain of that deadly poison which
creeps insidiously through society, the
highest and the lowest, ever on the
alert for its prey, here and there fasten-
ing its fangs upon the most promising
in the land, never relaxing its hold un-
til it has devoured, not the body only,
but the usefulness, the peace, the soul of
its victims? And why be slaves to
physic, seeking by its unaided strength
to overcome disease of body and mind,
while moral or rather immoral causes
are daily originating new phases of sut-
fering? The source of disease being
sin, it must receive mental and moral
treatment. 1t is not enough that the
vigilant eye of the law is ever watchful
to detect, and its strong right hand ever
uplifted to punish crime; these meas
ures deal only with effects, cropping
here and there twig from the great
tree of immortality. But its weapons
are too short to reach the great, strong
trunk which is no more disturbed by
tho clippings than a afrOng oak by the
pruning knife. Now the strength of So
cial crime lies far beyond the verge Of
legal jurisdiction, and at its safe distance,
mOcks its futile endeayOrs. Then where
shall we look for its antidote, and
whence is our deliveTance to come? 1t
is plain that the fountain of sin must be
cleansed before the stream will run
clear. But where shall we look for this
fountain? Social evil does not derive
its strength and perpetuity from those
miserable libels on "the Image of God"
who unblushingly avOw their infamy,
and are stunned as lepers by respecta-
bic citizens, for they, poor, miserable,
MIeltutS-slS We hllOM tlltlll
create far less evil in the world than
is laid to their charge. 1t is where they
cannot enter; where peaceful, law-abid-
ing citizens dwell, that the seeds of
crime are planted and nOurished until
they "can be no longer hidden" and
then spewed forth to go abroad fulfilling
their dreadful mission. Look to it, you
fathers who olive above the law" and
piously bewail the depravity of the
world, that you are not secretly giving
aid and sustenance to that very cause
by giving full license to those appetites
which cannot be said to degrade man
"tO the level of brutes," since brutes,
without the aid of reason and religion,
do strictly observe the laws of Nature.
Oh, you honest citizens! do you degrade
yourselves "belown the brutes by disre-
garding Natures laws in your own sem
sual qualification, persistently closing
your eyes to the fact that thus you per-
petuate and foster a low tone of morals,
and send abroad into the world eXag-
gerated types of your own depravity,
to carry their pestilential presence and
shameful deeds everywhere? Do you
honestly acknowledge TO your accusing
consciences when your sons give them
selves up to evil exeesses that your own
ways of life have been their ruin? do
you ever repent in secret anguish that
you did not exercise your divine right
of sovereignty over your own inferior
passions and lead instead OF following
them, exercising them only with liked
and holy purpose, as sower seatters
grain in the spring? This IS where So
cial reform must originate. When you
do this. oh. fathers and mothers, and
forsake the use Of stimulants, you snail
have the proud assurance thatyour sons
and daughters will never be unresisting
victims to those detestable passions
which are the prolific source OF bodily
suffering and mental anguish in this
sin-welterinp world. This course will
restore mans primitive vigor, and class
as entire gain, instead of mere neeessi-
ties. the wonderful inventions of genius.
This will strike the heart of social evil
and give law no subjects on which to
waste its idle strength, and rob the
countless swarms of quacks OF their
victims whose own sins place them
HELPLESS in their power. And fail not
TO remember, OH, parents! that as you
arc resDonsible for the existence of
deathIess beings, so you are responsible
for their dispositions; and that through
them. vour secret thoughts are brought
TO light: and do not dare ignore your re-
sDonsibilitv, nor use irreverently your
fearful, YOUR wonderful W'OHl-
ans Exponent
Prain work costs more food than hand