Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-08

oDalae genus, nave secuted the efacacy OF
prayer but if the woman's crusade Of
prayer and praise, hymn and orisOn, is
crowned with success, science is set at
naught, and the efficacy of prayer, both
subjective and objective, is placed be-
yond cayil. As it is new and untried
device, this movement threatens to
spread over the country from the At
lantic to the Pacific. Our Northern
neighbors have a failing for running
after new things. Because other means
have failed, therefore this must be
tried and tested to its fullest ca
pacity. The results of prohibitory
Legislation have been unsatisfactory,
because no legislation can change
human nature. All the laws of all the
towns, counties, legislatures and Con-
crosses, acting together, can no more
annihilate dram-drinking than gam
bling and other worse evils against
which such laws have long been direct
ed. Prohibition seeks to cut off the
supply. The more certain means would
be to cut off the demand. So long as
the demandexist money will command
a supply, regardless of law. To cut off
the demand is plainly beyond the pow
er of legislatures, and can be accom-
plished only by religious and moral in
huenees. Mere knowledge is not
enough, for none can posi-
bly, appreciate the horrible
degradation of the drunkard so
wildly as himself. The woman's move
is an improvement on Legislation, in SO
far as it labors to cut off the demand.
The weapons used are moral suasion,
though in cases it savors rather of
moral or social pressure. Such pres
sure may be carried to the extent Of
defeating its object by inducing hypoc-
risy. The greater the pressure, the
more danger of hypocritical pledges,
given with mental reservation, and
broken as soon as the pressure is re-
moved. No country is more chivalric
to its women than we, and the only
course that Americans viii take is to
retreat before the crusaders. Thus they
may sweep the field, and retire covered
with glory, to find that what they
mistook for the peace Of conquest was
but a false truce. For per-
manent effects, public opinion
is really stronger than the suasion of
the sex. In many localities, public
sentiment places a mark on the man
who frequents a bar-room, and the
false motive Of mere human respect
restraints many, and saves them from
the drunkard's grave. This sort of re-
form is likely to follow the present
crusade in country localities and the
smaller towns. Yet, it is notorious
that men thus restrained in their home
hasten to indulge when
they visit large cities, and contribute
a very considerable share toward
the saloons IN
those places. In large cities
there is little hope for the Ohio form
Of crusade. The plan mooted in New
York, of circulating pledges among the
instead of attacking the
saloons direct, is the most promising,
because it seeks to cut off the demand,
without which the saloons would soon
close. The legal question of the right
Of women to obstruct legalized bust
ness and bring odium on those pursu-
ing it, has been generally waived by
public opinion in Difference to the sex.
Men Of conservative views are disposed
to discourage the whole affair, as tax
ing woman out Of her normal sphere.
They argue that the work could be done
more appropriately and effectively
in the parlor, by discouraging
the addresses of tipplers and a gen.
eral social ostracism. 1t is certain
that vice, in many forms, finds access !
into society altogether too easy.
is but one evil of many
that af1ict us. 1t is the most wide |
spread, because other wees are too ex-
pensive for the poor man, but this is
within the reach of all. Taking it as
4 form of indulgence, the temperance
war might be regarded as a war on
he poor mans privilege to initiate the
of his betters. That the
country spends more money for liquor
han for bread, is an extravaganza,
similar to the fact that it spends
more money fo- silks and broad
10th than for jeans and cal
COS. The drunkard drinks the
money that belongs to his family.
The mania for display and social ex-
ravagance often spends money belong
ng to poor tradesman creditors.
leads to crime. So does
tilted social rivalry lead to embezzle-
nents, defalcations, forgeries, and even
uicide. Many argue that the surest
means Of banishing alcohol would be
he substitution of the milder stimu-
ants. beer and wine. The almost uni
ersal experience of Europe is cited as
roof of its good effects and feasibili-
y. But Is such a substitution feasible
nth us? Many doubt it, and contend
hat such a change can only be
,radual. This country consumes more
trong drink than perhaps the
est of the world combined.
Why is it? Why should a highly
Intelligent people prefer the strongest
nd most deleterious stimulants? We
AVE but one answer: We live too fast;
We work too hard; we try to compass too
much; we strain our energies to the
and then nothing viii satisfy