The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-07

ment.
But for one or two point-blank state
ments to the contrary, the article on the
"woman's temperance" movement over the
signature of Max in the Daily GLOBE of
March %, it might have been accepted by
action as a tolcrably solid argument in its
favor. But he expressly declares that fol
two cogent reasons it must necessarily be a
dead failure, the first being found in the
nature of the movement and i'll proof ed
duces, that it is emotional and antithetic to
the immutable laws of nature, which are
peaceful and quiet in their operation.
While no attempt will be made by any one,
friendly or inimical, to deny that this or
any other work of reform is more or less
emotional, it is not easy to understand why
an emotional effort must as a matter of
course be dead failure. Were the subject
one of less gravity, countless incidents in
every day life and in everybody's experience
might be adduced to prove that decided
successes in majority of cases are brought
about by emotional or impulsive action.
But the communication referred to Is char
acterized by so much dignified respect for
the subject under consideration that pucrile
refutatons are not to be thought of, and
propose to offer on this point only such rs
are part of the movement itself, or have
arisen from it.
Most prominent is the fact that thus far
over one thousand liquor shops have sus-
pended operations, and suspended perma-
nently, it may be believed, as we have only
few isolated accounts of the propretors
resuming their abomnable traffic after hav-
ing once fairly succumbcd.
In my humble opinion, the strongest and
best argument against "dcad failure" is the
respect that has been shown the movement
in quarters where derislon and rdicule, the
worst kind of opposition, might have been
expected. | refer to the secular press OF
New York In no instance has any spirit
of the kind to any considerable extent,
DCcu manifested Wy bht VI INV i"I''0,
whose influence in our country as well as
in foreign lands is too great to he estimated.
1t is true that several of them expressed
serious doubts as tn the method of pro-
cedure, but almost without exception they
declared themselves ready to accord ap-
proval if material good was wrought they
were not in exact sympathy with all the
features of the movement. And nObly
have they fulfilled what was at first but an
implied pledge, and these leaders of public
sentiment. who have stood for days and
weeks, now growing into months, on then
watchtowers, closely scanning the horizon
for the faintest indications of the signs OF
the times, fearlessly proclaim to the world
their belief that the morning star of social
reform has at last arisen and that the dawn
of coming day of moral victory is close
at hand The n. Y. Tribune says in its
last summing-up of the situation; "rhere
is no evidence that the men are weary in
their well doing. We look in vain for an
instance in which they have fled the field
after fairly beginning battle Their faith
is of the kind that is sad to move noun
tains" This is hardly the wall of defeat
In leaving this point, | beg to refer th'
author of the article referred to TO his owr
rcfutaton, supplied farther on, when he
offers as confirmation of his definition (no
of his argumenD the ''marked successes oil
the so-called crusade" How can he recon
cile 'dead failure with marked success
esq"
find my reasoning powers are so lily
trained or so deficient that | am troubled t.
clearly discern the second 'cogent reason
which he offers, but presume it is included
in the opening sentence of the third para
graph. On the statement therein incorpo
rated broad issues might be taken, but re
frain on the score of irrelevancy, rs it Il
entirely Incompatible with the fine theory
he advocates, of the power of magneti,
influences.
One question further-Where are til,
countless social agitations similar in natur,
to this ? Where, in the history OF Thu
world, is the instance In which women hay,
come en- nasse to the rescueY When ant
where have they before laid aside their re
firing and unobtrusivo natures and volun
tarily come forward to a notoriety, will
which they knew the bells of public
opinion must ring throughout the ciyilize,
world? | am totally ignorant of sucl
facts and ask for information.
There must be something unusual Mt tn,
bottom, because we know that the womel
of America have utterly refused to Join til