The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-02-20

1 Out Teaucfs arc iulls AWARE OF thc
crusade carried on against the liqonr
traffic by the women Of Ohio, and intend.
ed TO be opened In Massachusetts, by the
wives and mothers of that State. We
have watched IL with some degree OF
pleasure, not, however unmixed with
pain and surprise. We were glad that
women had enlisted in this warfare, for
they have the deepest interest, present
and prospective, In the curtailment OF
the liquor traffic. The dead weight of this
business falls almost entirely on the
wives and mothers and daughters and
sisters OF the land. To hundreds Of
them the money that goes into the liquor
dealers ill is the price OF bread or
blood. Every dollar speut in the rum.
shop means deprivation and destitution
for the wives and children OF those
who drink. We were not surprised.
therefore, that the women OF Ohio took
hold of this matter with earncsiness
and zeal. Nor should we be surprised
If the women Of New York organized
crusade against intempcrance here,
where, according TO recent report OF
one Of the Excise Commissioners nine
thousand Of their sex have been arrest
cd for the crime of intoxication in pub
lie during the past year, while only five
hundred and sixty males were arrested.
The disproportiou Of the sexes addicted
TO !ntempcrance is certainly remarkable,
and should arouse tho women of this
city. But while the arrests of females,
doubtless, cover all ornearly all of those
given to the intoxicating cup in New
York, IL is too manifest that the number
Of males arrested does not bear the same
proportion to the number who make
themselves druak with liquor. We
should not be surprised, we repeat, II
the women Of New York or Boston or
of other cities made an effort to stay the
tide of intemperancc in this land. But
we think there is better way to accom-
plish this reform than that which the
women os Ohio have adopted. Their
zeal is not directed by discretion, and
We venture the prediction that reac-
ton will come by and by that will
sweep away like an avalanche, with ir-
resistble force, whatever Of good these
earnest and godly, but, rs we think.
mistaken, wives aud mothers of Ohio
have or shall have accomplished.
Praying and psalm-singing arc right
and proper means, and the Good Book
tells us that there are time and a place
for these things. The women of the
West think the time is all day long and
seven days Of the week, and the place
the shops and stores Of their neighbors
Now, aside from tho rdicule which
must fall upon religion fsom this un-
seemly methocd of warfare, it does not
carry the gentleness Of the Gospel with
it as II should. These godly women can
make "a scourge Of small cords" for ihC
backs Of the liquor sinners; and some
of their male followers, rs we noticed
ina paper the other day. carry slung.
shots and other missiles with them and
use them as well as they do the hymn
books; but they do not rs readily bid
those sinners, in the tender tones of tht
Master, go and sin no more" The
liquor seller is no more of sinner than
the manufacturer Of the poison. Bu
tho latter is taken into the bosom OF III,
Church and hugged and fondlcd there
as if he was saint or an angel whose
wings had not yet grown TO carry hin
on high. The root of the evil is moi
here; IL is with the government whicl
not only sanctions the traffic In its Va
rious stages, bat derives its chief rcve
nue. iherefrom. Let the women Of Ohio
and Of New York and Massachusetts
lay their axe at the root OF the tree
bring their moral and social influence tc
bear upon the legislation of the nation
which sanctions II, upon the Church .hal
endorses it by her silence and upon the
individuals who are engaged In il, ant
who luxuriatc upon its profits, snatchet
from the homes and tho bodies of thou
sands in this land, and the doom of tht
liquor business cannot be far Off nor be
doubtful in its success. But Is uselcs,
to break up the business in little towr
IN Ohio while Congress aud State leg
isatures and churches and larger com
munitics favor It's continuance and dc
rive profit from It.
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Summary.
Council No. of the Sovcreigns o