Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-04-02
The Temperance Cause.

Nothing that the Patrons of Husbandry
have done, has pleased us more than their
almost unanimous expression of strong tenn
perance sentiments.
Farmers constitute such large proport ion
OF our population that if they take the sub
ject of temperance eform earnestly into con-
sderation, we shall hope for great results.
The Kansas State Grange ut its late ses-
sion adopted heartily and without u dissent
ting voice sot Of excellent and strong reso-
lutions introduced by S. N. Wood, of Cotton
wood Falls. and n number of delegates from
different parts of the state spoke in their
favor and in encouragement of the cause
generally.
If the grange had no other good feature
than this, we should wish it God speed, for
certainly an organization which is gaining
members rs rapidly as this, and does not toll
crate in its ranks any individual who sells IN
toxicating liquor, nor any drunkard whom
the efforts Of the grange have failed 10 re-
form, cannot fail to do good. And ifthe Or
der will establish, similar to IL plan
we presented few weeks ago. refresh
ment rooms, in towns and villages. for the
comfort and entertainment of farmers and
their families, many young man would
avoid the temptation he is now almost oblIg-
ed to seek, in the hospitality of saloons and
grocery stores.
We hope the attention of the friends OF the
cause will bo attracted by n measure which
was presented this winter to the Illinois leg
stature, and passed by the lower house, pro-
viding that a penalty be attached TO "treat-
ing" This habit is so general in the United
States, and so pernicious in its effects, that
we should rejoice to see it abolished rs far
MS possible by being made punishable with
| heavy fine. OF course such law would be
interfering with individual rights" and con-
sequently impracticable according to con-
sentative minds but so is the suppression Of
dram selling an infringement of individual
rights according to the same reasoning, but
| Il Is right which no Christian, no moral
man would avail himself of, and one which
mothers and wives and all who have tho
temperance cause mt heart would be glad to
see wrested from every individuals it is the
right to make criminals, pRupers aud imbe-
Giles. II is OF such great importance that
the right to do this by wholesale and re-
tail be discountenancod, we cannot under
stand why men should be allowed to giue
dUdy these vile decoctions. 1t is well
known fact that this practice is made use Of
to entice young men into gambling h ouses
and to lead them into innumerable crimes.
We do not know tho mother who would not
INF up her heart IN thankfulness to know
that this pitfAll was removed from hor sons
path.
An instance well known here in our own
capital should be sufficient to cause all good
men TO favor such a law. A reformed drink
err, who had not tasted liquor for year, was
seduced by unprincipled politicians and the
sparkling wine cup, to drink unto drunken
ness, in order that he and his vote and innu-
ence might be out of the way on certain
night, and after he had suceumbed to this
combined influence, which not one man in
ten thousand who has the terrible appetite
within him could Withstand, no was sent
home and the world censursd him as a weak
map, while we sent the author of this diabol-
ical plot to Washington, -Ransas Farmer.