The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1874-07-04
SATURDAY.. July 4, 1874,
THE TEMPERANCE CRUSADE.

OCCu fCutliohHS OlCucL Ih0AI WIS
dom or their folly, discussing the
causes that led to the above-nam.
ed epideaaic, and the probable re-
suit thereof, we, have modestly
RETAINED from intruding our. OPT
1ien upon our readers. Never
sheless we have an opinion, and
II is about time that we had our
say. So here it goes. And first
we will remark that we allow no
one to out-do us in our zeal for
the cause Of true temperance.
We believe that the intemper-
ate use of intoxicating drink has
caused more misery in the world
than war, pestiIence, and famine
combined. And if we had the
power byour own individual vote
to Danish it from the world, and
the knowledge Of making it from
mankind, we would, without he
station, give that vote. for the
sake of humanity. But we do not
possess that power; nor do all the
would-be reformers and fanatics
IN the world possess it. A pretty
long life of observation has taught
US that the whole total abstinence
movement is wrong and insane,
and has done more to promote
drunkenness than true temperance.
Total abstinence is not temper
aDce. The true definition of tenn
perance is "0a liberation in regard
to the indulgence of the natural
appetites and passions; restrained
or moderate indulgence" Total
abstinence, forbiding all indulg.
ence, however moderate, is in it.
self intemperanee. 4
1t is the utmost extreme, and
extremes are always wrong, fool
ish. and harmful. and never &C.
complish any good. If the advo-
Gates of temperance had begun at
the right end, and taught and
encouraged the people, particular.
ly the young and rising genera
ton, to habits of moderation, if
they had instilled into their
minds principles of self reliance
and self control, and an abhorance1
of intemperance and excess, we
would now see but little drunken.
ess. But no that would not do.
Ignorance, bigotry and fanatism
have, ever since the foundation Of
the world, mounted every hobby
of. moral reform that has been
started, and ridden it to death.
All the legislation that has been
had to lessen the sale of intoxicat.
ing liquors has only resulted in
mischief. Such legislation and
all other coercive measures resUrt-
ed to have only rendered to I'm
crease hankering after intoxi-
eating drinks and to increase
drunkenness. And there is a plain
reason for al this. ALL men have
q natural repugnance to any in
|vasiOn of their natural rights, and
DIT is gross invasion to attempt
to prescribe what a man shall eat
and drink. No legislation has a |
right to do this thing, and the
people know it, and therefore
rebel against such tyranny. The
more difficult you make it for
man to obtain liquor, the greater
hankering has he for it, and he
will have it at any price. The
State of Maine, where exists the
most stringent prohibiG2ry law in
the world. is an ILLUSTRATION of
this.
We have the testimony ozone |,
of the greatest total abstinence
advocates in the United States, +
who recently visited that's to
investigate the working of the
prohibitory liquor law, that In the
city of Portland, more intoxicat-
ing liquor lis drank in proportion
to the population, than in any
other place lathe United states
The people drink it at home, and
the wives and daughters and sons