The weekly Louisianian., 1874-03-21


put an end TO-. Instead of these
promises being kept, drunkenness has
Teen on the increase throughout the
country, and the women who suffer
from it have been as badly off as ever.
There is nothing very strange, under
these circumstances, that tho women
Of Ohio and other Western States
under the influence Of strong
religious and moral excitement, take
into their own hands, andmove
masse on the headquarters of the
traffic the saloons themselves-and,
received cogent proof that laws
and constitutions were Of little use,
resort to more primitive means
of attack. They do not seem to have
used, or to have melted others to use,
violence. They have merely descended
upen notorious places of sale, and by
means Of making them publicly odious
have succeeded, in most cases, in in
ducing the seller to give up business,
for the time being at least. There are,
no doubt, questions connected with the
law of trespass which may arise out Of
such proceedings; but it seems to us
that the principal point of interest in
connection With the movement is that
it is the remedy of a really oppressed
class, who feel that they have been
TITLED with and imposed upon long
enough.
That the liquor traffic is going to be
put an end to in this way, probably no
one imagines. Even hat the women
are likely to form apermanent organize
ton for its suppression seems highly
improbable. But what cannot be
doubted is that, for a time. at least,
the women have succeeded in convinc-
ing the men that, if the latter cannot
manage certain functions Of govern
ment, these must be managed by some
one else. This ~''crusade," as it is
called, is nothing more than the wo-
mems way of convincing men who
have been deceiving them that they
will be deceived no longer.
It is interesting to observe the way
in which this crusade of the women
has been received by the other sex.
The press all over the country is pre-
sumably in the hands of men, and Of
men too for the most part who have
been for the last fifty years or SO
laughing week in and week out at the
absurdity Of the attempt to regulate
drinking by law; but now it maintains
a respectful silence on the subject OF
else encourages the women. In
private, too, we suppose it is within
everybody's knowledge that there has
been among men much amusement
over the crusade, and when it began
there was probably in most mems
minds a feeling that it was little but
noise; now, however, the "a is differ
ent. It is an interesting spectacle to
see the State Grange of Ohio, organized
and principally controlled by men,
holding a solemn meeting and resolv'
ing that "whereas, there has been and
is almost an entire failure by laws and
municipal enactments to diminish the
curse of intemperance; and whereas,
we, as patrons and masters Of 555 sub
ordinate Changers of Ohio, who have
families liable at all times to danger
from the iRsidious wiles Of those
whose moral standing and capacity dc
not elevate them to higher calling
than the sale of Intoxicating liquors
thereby endangering the future charac
ter and usefulness of the rising genera
ton; therefore, that inasmuch as Law
and ordinances have almost signally
failed~to accomplish the desired end
we, the State Grange of Ohio, hearth,
endorse the movement inaugurated b,
the noble women of Ohio for the sup
preston Of incompetence in our State
and that we extend to them on:
sympathy and moral support in thei
noble and Christian work." On
would certainly imagine, on reading
these resolutions, that the claws ant
municipal enactments" referred to ha'
not been passed by men at all; or tia
the patrons and masters of 555 subo1
dinate State Changers of Ohio ha'
made some sudden discovery on tn
subject Of the non-enforcement of tn
laws for the enforcement of intempel
ance. But it is these very patron
and masters who have passed the law
and managed the appointment of tn
official.
Agreat many very interesting moral
may no doubt be drawn from thi
LIQUOR crusade. It seems to us less i'm
--.-1-