The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-04-23
ARE GERMANISM AND BEER SYN
Nh 1a..saa gONYMOUS?l i Pc 40 "a
From the Cincinnati Gazette.

l
To judge by the tone of the German
newspapers, one would be led to suppose
Itnat with the Germans beer was the staff
|of life, and that all efforts in the direction
of temperance were specially directed
against the Germans, and must be by
them resisted es an Infringement of enc
of their dearest rights. To read some OF
the diatrbes of these papers on those
wicked na.ivists and muckers who have
such an invetcrate hatred of German nab
its and customs, and their tits against
somebody whom they imagine to De in
lmical to the personal freedom of the
Germans, one " ould suppose that the
whole ,German-Ameriean population were
brewers and saloonists, or that the liberty
to drink beer was the German beau ideal
| Of liberty, We are told, il almost so
many words, that the Germans are so
| welded to beer that under no clrcum-
Stances will they give it up, and Amer
Can temperance men are requested to quit
agltating this question in Difference to the
opinions and lifelong habits of the Ger
man population. Indeed, we. are told
that the Republican party of this city
and county owed its defeat simply to the
fact that large proportion OF its men,
bers were known to be temperance men,
In other words, The Germans are so abso-
lutely certain that they are right, ard
their native born fellow citizens are
wrong, that these latter must. yield their
own cherished opinions On this subject,
and without a murmur of dissent adopt
these of the Germans. This, to use a
Germanism, is pretty strong tobacco.
The, New York .BelletrEst tsche Journal,
one of the most widely circulated and in
fiueutlal of tne German JOURNALS in the
country, says there are but two things,
interference with which will call the Ger
i man American to arms-his beer and his
political equality--and we incline to the
opinion that Of the two the noble barley
juice would induce him togive the stroug-
est indications ofhls powers Of resistance,
! for it represents thing about the useful
ness aud excellence Of which MI Germans
are agreed, while the privileges of citizen
ship are regarded by hundreds of thou
sands as but doubtful gain, and by very
many even as not at all worth trying for,
fact that does not by any means show
the highest potency Of enthusiasm in ia
vor Of political equality. "
1t strikes us it would be difficult for
the most rabid nativl&t to frame charge
more damaging to the patriotism and
character of the German American popu~
lation than this, preferred by one of their
owa cherished organs. If it be true, il
only shows that the temperance men are
in the right in their efforts to overthrow
the power of alcohol, as dangerous not
only to health, and life, and happiness
but also to the prosperity and stability OF
American institutions. If it be true, then
the traffic and Indulgence in Intoxicating
drinks, including the so-called German
beverage. is an unmitlgate nuisance, and
should be abated, What! Beer preferred
to the rights of American citizenship
f Beer call forth a stronger and more de.
, ter mined power in its defense than politi
o cal equality? Are the rights Of American
citizenship so highly estimated that, Eaau
Q like, they would be bartered for a glass
of lager? What is the inference? Why
that whenever the beer power shall en-.
danger this republic, those subjects Of
Gambrinus will be, found ranged with
, the threatening forces. ~.@ 3
Now, is this true? Do the German pa
pers in this case fairly represent their
, countrymen? 1t may be true of certain
class; it may be true of these managers of
: the German press; it may be true of brew
ers, and saloonists, and besotted rabble
whose brains have, from long indulgence,
become stupefed with beer; but it is not
, true of the German masses. It is not true
Of large numbers; it is not true of the
, large majority. These are sober, indus
trlous and patriotic. They may, for the
time being, be led to view things in the
, wrong light, but they are true ct heart,
and their so-called organs will not mis-
} lead them long. We protest against the
| SANDER contained in the extract we have