The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1874-12-25
rhe Tempsrance Question.


bly, be up in our legislature which viii
assemble on the 4ih proximo, we PUB.
Iish the following extract from an edi.
torial article on the subject In the Cou.
rier journal. II contains thoughts
worthy Of consideration:
The temperance movement is begin.
Ming TO show it's effect in legislation, al
together Ia the shape the most enthnsi.
asiic advocates OF the cause might ie-
tire. II has long been apparent TO ev-
cry one save the needless enthusiast
that the effort TO prohibit entirely the
retailing ef uqour was exceedingly un'
reasonable. While the law encourages
or tolerates the manufacture OF liquor
il is absured for the law 10 say tina; II
shall not be sold Thus far the temper
ance crusade have been againt the bar
keepers who retail drinks, aud, appar-
emily, the temperance movers have con.
sidered the manufacture TOO strong Tor
attack. prtoo respectable 10 be denouhe-
ed. The temperance movement has not
been practical. But the truth Is, the
temperance cause, in the shape il has
taken, has not been i-npeded ouly by its
OWE Inconsistency. There is a .princi'
pie underlying it, the principle OF indi-
vidual liberty. that has made men stop
10 consider what the movement as now
directed will lead to. There is no one,
perhaps who is not in favor of temper
ance, for no man would like TO see 9th
er nen making sots of themselves aud
drinking themselves TO death; and there
are few men who would like TO have
themselves denied by the law the right
To drink in moderation when they feel
like il, For iutemperance the person
who so INDUCES is primarily response
BILE: aud for that brutal drunkenness
that results from indulgence after the
period of responsibility is passed the
party who furnishes the liquor Is re-
sponsibe. Any practical effort TO cor
rect intemperance must place some
check on the really responsible party
aud the best way would seem 10 be TO
punish the man VINO gets drunk ana
then punish the man who sells drunk
en- man liquor.
Under most systems o: laws in this
country the courts may punish man
who is drunk and disorderiy; but a
plain. private drunk Is considered one
of tho inaliena6le rights of an Amer'
can citizen. In the Ohio Legislature it
is proposed to euact a law TO punish in.
toxicalon BY iiuc and imprisonment.
Such a law rigldly enforced would
make seusible men drink moderately,
if at all. and would keep the ha5tual
drunkard under fine and imprisonment
all the time. There Is n limit in all so.
ciety to individual liberty. A man Is
not compelled TO dress IN the fashion,
but ne can not go naked. Man may
take drugs, but he may not poison him
self in any other way, aud men have
been punished for attempting suicide,
So the limit Of individual liberty is not
reached when n man proposes to take a
drink, but when he takes 80 much as to
| incaparitate himself for the perior-
nance of those duties which belong TO
him as a member OF society, aud shocks
decency by making helples brute OF
himself, he has committed an oflensc for
which society ought to punish him.
A person may now be punished for
keeping n disorderly house; but this
means an habitually disorderly house.
Saloon. keepers who encourage loafers
about their establishments mud permi,
riotous conduct when they can prevent
it, ought to be held responsible. SO n
saloon .keeker who furnishes liquor to
an irresponsible habitual drunkard, or
to man who is drunk beyond respon-
sibil.ty. ought TO be held accountable.
| The Ohio legislature 10 entertaining n
bill looking to this purpose, and no
respectable saloon-keeper will object TO
| 1t. The saloon.keepers have unques'
tionably right 10 be heard on the
subject, not only because they have the
right of all citizens. but also because
their business is lawful one, for pur.
suing which they pay q license, just
as the grocery-keeper, the inn-kceper
aud the lawyers in most cities pay for
their license and expect in return the
protection of thoir interests ut the hands
Of the law. Punish the man who gets
drunk, and then punish the man who
gives him more liqour after he gets
drunk, beyond reason, and the temper.
auce cause will be advanced without
the conflict that is raging between the
men and women who want to disre.
gard every right that does not accord
with their notions, and the men who
! feel that an effort is being maze Ia
crush them out without even giving
them n hearing. lr one were to believe
the temperance enthusiasts, all saloon.
keepers are moral lcpers aud oulcasis,
"Lo ~. ny "aunains eooio'c aud ruin.
ing innocent young men. Go among
the saloon-keepers and you will find
many worthy, kind-hcarIcd ard intelli-
gent men, who deplore intompetancC
and regulate their business in furnish
ing entertainment, just as the hotel
keeker and cigar.manufaciurers do
Like all classes. they vary in mora
character but because here aud there
may be found mercernarv brute, who
for the cake Of few more cents will
pour liquor down the throat Of help
less drunkne man, there Is no more rca
son for denouning the whole fraternity
than there is for casting the sins OF q
few pulpits upon the whole church.