The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-07

=. III the True Way to Repress the Vice
Of Drunkennessr
NEW YORK, Feb. s, 1874

70 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
rno uvp.tn Of Thursday hits the point precisely
O.. mo following ant comment on recent operations
"a renress the drink traflc East ana West'-"lhe
,yobab,lity, based on experience, Is tna' III &c"
-esrs the spirits OF the Ohio Amazons ana OF the
uun malice viii be exhausted; ana theh those
-,,.r .n,r,ts now under the ban, VIII rule again
Iii, more absolute sway than before the breaking
an, of the rebellion, which mas ior whie inter
,ered with their supremacy" In that one sentence
.sa oonv,c,iou OF all thoughtful friends OF temper
.nce ia expressed. These proceedings are spas
mod,c somewhat sensational and sure 10 cause q
,,.At;on IN favor OF the anti-temperance
;rterest. ul-advised attempts at propagandism
often run into buresque, injuring the cause
II aims honestly TO serve. Brigades OF women
enter the "saloon' at uight and set up sing
ing class amid the customers and huri psalms
scross "the bar - the salesman retaliates by put
ing out the lights, the boys" are in ecstasy and
the women take to screaming ana TO lignt. This
Is not reform. Our revivahsts prayed and sung
srhs wickedest man in New York" out Of his dog
pit in Water street, but these tactics Will not enect
. widespread and subtle popular vice. The soon
and frolic OF 1t ALL among the people, VIII rather
make q laughing STOCK for those hostile TO tenn,
perance and q matter OF grief TO It's devoted
IN , our na saeS ana ormnr total
abstinence societies throughout the country Inc
same Is the case among other classes. Inousah m
al ladies' will be deferred from taxing THIS really
practical step If they are subjected TO the sneers
and merriment which 1.-THE ladies' brigades'' are
provoking. "You have joined the temperance
cause when will you start on your singing crusade
among tue saloons ~ such weapons VIII be readily
put IN use to discourage the tmid, and
good work will naturally hesitate We know
that Cervantes laughed mock chlvalry out
Rosinante. The preachers who are sending out
these bands OF maids and matrous on their adven-
turous enterprise, may turn the tide OF sentiment
against the temperance movement. Heaven knows
the country is suffering sorely, and every man
and woman is bound TO help III removing the great
public misfortune, crime and scandal OF the age,
intemperance. In contemplating the peculiar pro-
gramne OF these earnest and honest men anu wo.
men however one Is reminded OF the evered
patient, Who IN the agonies OF his disease, seeks
cold drink, which will not relieve, but aegravate
his malady. In all sympathy and Kindness one
must see that these operations Will prove q grave
detriment TO tile temperance cause.
Your Cincinnati correspondent very truly re.
marks that '.as long as the demand exists the sup
ply viii be forthcoming" This Is most impor-
tant TACT, which had It been more generally OBJ
served and acted on In this country with the per-
sstence, energy and force expended in other d.
rections, would have produced great fruits. The
the great evil of the Gay is to be found in abst-
nence-total abstinence. The associations devot-
the support Of all true ormers and patriotic Cit
izens. The best method OF closing the saloon is
70 win away its customers. There are
twenty Catholic churches here in New York
having halls where thousands OF men and women
are gathered every Sunday evening listening to
the appeals Of priests and laymen to abandon the
use oil Intoxicating drinks 'in honor Of the sacred
thirst Of Lord on the Cross" These are the
words Of the pledge Of the Catholic Total Abst1-
nenre Union OF America. Fifteen thousand OF our
Catholic citizens are enrolled under that pledge In
this city. Hundreds are received week after week
An every city and parish OF the country They then
20 the altar to obtain the grace OF Cod through
the sacrament OF the Church, to keep
the pledge. Bishops and clergy in Amer
tea, England and Ireland are leading this
movement quietly enrolling our millions OF citl-
xens. Do not think this the true method ofwarlare
on the saloons. II our Protestant preachers were
TO devote to the fostering of personal abstinence
among their docks the zeal expended in sidewalk
prayer meetings against the grOggereS would
not the fruit be more abundant and better?
As great public educator and leader OF thought
she HERALD Is earnestly appealed to 10 foster this
religious abstinence movement now spreading al
around US and onering the best remedy
against our national grievance and perll-tht
ocOurge Of intemperance, Any experiment
that tends to divert public thought int
wrong channels on this question Injuries the com
mon cause. To base confidence on unsafe expert
ments Is to unite disappolntments and weaIines
OF heart, EMBEDDING the true temperance move
ment, to which the country must ultimately loo
for complete relief.
There is public sentiment strong enough now II
America TO sweep intemperance from the land
only side issues and false issues kept away ant
she true means invoked. To assist in this desira
bic end beg to submit to the great constituent,
OF the HERALD these reflections, prompted by YOU
editorial OF to-day. Yours, J. W. OBRIEN.