Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-03-25
The Antl.Treafing MOVement.

one plcdge-not to pay for any oth'
mans drink, and not to drink at any otht
= mans expense. This may seem to man
very limited basis Of association, but
this pledge were strictly adhered to, til
spread Of intemperance would be immed
ately checked throughout the country
The American habit Of treating" is IN
]. origin Of much o. the misery aud damag
which come from excessive drinking. Their
are thousands of boys growing up to.da
who have no inherited thirst for liquor I
whom the taste aud smell of whisky ar
offensive, who are destined TO becom
drunkards merely through their generosit
and desire to please. They know Of N
other way of making themselves agreeabl
to their acquaintance, when they meet
than by asking them to take drink, an,
when thesamc invitation is given TO then
they do not know how TO refuse. WI,
has not seen these fine, rosy, rather lOut
ish boys, at county fairs or political meet
ings, marching up to bars by twos an,
thrces, asking each other " What will 20,
take? ?" and gulping down dose of poison
which brings the tears to their eyes
When one has paid for the drinks, eacl
OF the rest feels the obligation resting up
on HIM to return the courtesy, and the
etiquette obliges all to recognize the rigtt
of each to dlsburse the price Of a dram
for the company. 10 most cases rot one
Of them enjoys it. They all feel the fiery
stuff in their faces and their eycs, cloul-
ing their minds and rasping their threats.
But the Que who has first paid is the slave
of his friends, and the conventionalties of
the village or the crossroads are as stronc
as those OF the city. You have drank
with all the rest, and now you must drink
with me, is contradiction in logic. but
it is unanswerable in rustic practice among
drinking youths. The signing of such
limited liability pledge as we have men.
toned would free these wel.intentioned
and thoughtlcss boys from the chains of
this miserable and dangerous custom.
There are very few who would deliberate.
~ 60 up to counter and ask for solta.
ny dram. This is only done when the hab.
II has become strong one, and when the
hope of reformation has pretty well dis.
appeared.
The reform would aso affect another
class OF men who are despised and NAL.
treated in the bar.room, but who always
form considerable portion Of its public.
These are the iDpecunious and absorben,
creatures known as "bummers, who. bay.
ng spent ali their money for whisky. still
haunt the scenes Of their former dsburse.
nents, in the hope of an occasional gen.
'ral irrigation. They are of The kind an
'rmy officer describes as ornamentinr the
des ola bar room he entered in Arkansas.
He approached the counter and asked
or glass of brandy, and the whole shah.
y dozen rose from Their benches "apd
owed they'd take sugar in iherb." The
lumber of people who never pay for a
rink and yet are never sober. Is very
'rge; these solitary drinking assocla.
ions would Ger ainly tend TO diminish il
1t is true that this is not thorouob.
Dug temperance movement aud we would
Il agree that it would be much better far
lesc young men tosign total abstinence
ledge aud keep it. But it is. ncycrthe. !
Ss' salutary idea, so far as it goes, and
lere is nothing evasive or dishonest about
In this it differs widely from that
'ameiul mockery which is repeated ev.
y Sunday night at low haunt of vice {
this city, where noted rumseller -. !
SITS few light.hcaded people in carving G
religious exercises in his den. The
'use is filled with crowd of the most {
graded specimens Of both sexes. who are {
formed that they can sign the pledge
18th mental reservation that they intend I
keep it for Il year OF a week or ten I
mules. OF course there is enthusiasm
ID applause until the meeting ends, and
en the proprietor begins bis work Of ad. {
refreshments to those to whom
has just administered the pledge. 1t c
TO be regretted that any one should be $
und SO unthinking as TO join in this scan. C
lous carlcalure OF an excellent reform.
he opponents of I" treating" on the con. v
lry, occupy position which, although 4
is outside of The temperance movement, II
'lci'y speaking. is highly advantageous C
d pralseworthy. If they can do any. ii
ing to break the force Of this senscIoss
siom, they will accomplish as much good q
u they attempted more. If M vnpno
IN in America drank except when he = :,
ln'ed to, there would be far fewer old i
IN to drink from the love of it.-Trib. ;,
e. W
The house of representatives indica. II
its opinion on the financial question IN