The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-04-02
aus and his apostles

Renee III 5 10l, 10 use wine or sIf0H
5 drsHk IS beverage. This admitted
i Etol n that you have no right t
tel nf that man, II may, but yol
shall ol ake a glass of wine; it j
mora Qr me, but immoral for you,
unlesa ynl argue from the principl
of econoaN, W hich makes no mora
wrong be thing itself.
Let hs aIniae for a moment int
the arg o ef economy. 1t is main
talnea TINS tlaat theprodncts of natur,
and ind ~ are for the sustenrnc,
tand com OF all. If one uses anC
wastes so much more than his jus
4 share as person, another must be de
l.prived 81 his~-f E., provided there il
no more an exactly enough for all
4 Thefefots IL WasSe Gods gifts; the,
ct theft. The materials
1 Changed % fomented beverages art
yFfl 7gRed to uselesa llurp poses-
i is not established in my min6
that this proposition will be Endorsed
/ by modern practicianers of medicine
/ who stimulate patients to quicken the
functions of the organism. 1t is moi
decided by physiology and dietetici
/ that the alcoholic ingredients in mans
food are superfluous. Nor is it salts
factorily established that men, who
must perform a certain amount o.
J labor in given time and under ex.
+ haustive circumstances, can do with
out stimulants and in justice to theil
| health and yigor. But these being
strictly scientific questions, l can moi
discuss them here. We know thai
many gem of poetry and song owes
! its existence to a smile of beauty. OF
an affectionate glance from bright
eyes. We also know that many 9th.
ers and no less charming beauties OF
poetry or music owe their existence to
a cup of old wine. We know, fur
thermOre, that, talent and genius sleep
on the calm mirror of Imagination
they rise and flash forth their innate
fire by the nndulations of the phanta-
sy, as the ocean shows its silvery hue
by high towering waves. Genius and
happiness delight in undulated imag-
-inatiOn. But this is Psychological
question to which l Can not do Justice
here. We know that nine-tenths of
all human beings use stimulants in
this or that form, hence, if common
usage proves anything, it can not be
called superhuous or a waste of ma
terial. Still, we will not insist upon
this disputed point. For arguments
sake let us admit that this is one of
the many forms of waste common to
civilized society, aud so consider the
point.
Now, | will say nothing about our
good ladies bonnets, flowers, feathers,
braids, curls and butterflies; not a
word about laces, ribbons, veIVets,
scarfs, sashes, tassels, fringes, chate-
LANES, fans and parasols not men,
ton of necklaces, bracelets, earrings,
finger rings, breast-pins, hair pins,
card cases and portmonnias, chains,
watches, lockets and charms; not a
whisper about cuffs, wells, paniers or
1onnces; diamonds, garnets, carbun-
cles, emeralds, sapphires, ametbysts,
rubies, opals, pearls, or glass beads !;
for really think, if it was not for the
beautifuI variety of ]veFaa44,a- eRRessy ia
shapes, colors and textures, these
streets and houses would look as pro-
Speaking of waste, / am going mere
ly to make war on the gentlemen's
buttons. Every one wears at least
dozen of buttons on his coat, when,
actually, in summer, he needs none,
and in winter four will do him. This
waste of buttons costs the country no
less than five millions of dollars a
year, and it is clearly wasted.
1t is true, the land producing wine,
or corn, barley and hops, used in
making fermented liquors, might
serve better purposes, so might the
fields and meadows yielding oats and
hay for our aristOcrats' horses be also
used for better purposes; and the
materials and labor squandered in the
of gala carriages and gala
furniture, would build comfortable
homes for all the poor families in this
country. But here 1 have inadvert-
emily run my subject into the province
of National economy, to which can
not do justice here. Civilized society
has ideas of its own in this respect,
the friends and patrons of
and industry. In National
economy it makes no difference,
whether so and so many thousands of
persons derive their support from the
and sale of fomented
liquors or silk ribbons, cigars or beer,
wines or matches, champagne or
bracelets. 1t is all waste, in one sense
and none in National economy. There
fore, the same right which that poor
girl has to purchase cheap trinkets,
looking from a distance like that
lady's costly jewels, the same
right has the poor man to purchase
his cheap drink, and to derive the
same satisfaction from it that Mr..
does from his imported
champagne and Habanas; more so
even, for the money spent by the for
mer remains in the country. If this
is correct it follows that the use OF
wine or strong drink cannot be called
either immoral, impious, ungodly, or
even waste of property; not even
by those whose Technology is shaped
by the extra dictionary, supposed to
have been revised by the Holy Spirit,
which editions are very cheap and ex-
tremely useful in shaping things for
the popular market.
But it is not the use, il is the abuse
of the thing, which is the cause
OF the complaint and excitement.
The intemperate use of wine and
strong drink degrades. brutalizes,
ruins body and soul, stupefies reason,
benightens the judgment, and is ire-
quently the cause of shocking crimes
and untimelv death, of sorrow and
aflliction, OF insanity and suicide. 1t
is inebriety against which Moses holds
up Noah and his degraded son Ham,
Lot aud his deluded daughters
against which Solomon and Isaiah,
and many other prophets and sages
speak solemn words of admonition
and rebukc. The abuse is calamity,
W hich for the sake of humanity onght
TO be remedied by Just and proper
means.
Here story of the Talmud must be
A heather asked rabbi,
''If your God hates our gods and
idols, why does he not destroy them
if he is almighty ?" "You worship
sun moon, stars, mountains, rivers
and all the various objects of nature"
the rabbi replied can you expect
OF the all-wise God that He destroys
His beautiful creation on account of
some foolish men ?" This, indeed, is
theareal point at issue. Is it proper.
Just and wise to destroy or prohibit