New-York tribune., 1876-03-27
NATIONAL TEMPERANCE.

| NATIONAL TEMPERANCE
There is rainy season in the Senate OF
petitions asking for prohibition IN the DIS
trict of Columbia and the Territories OF the
manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors.
Some of these petitions pray that Total ABB
stinence may be made a condition OF the
| civil. military, and naval service; others that
the importation of spirits, wine and beer may
be totally prohibited; still Others that the traf-
fic in Intoxicating beverages may be prohibit
ed throughout the United States by Consti-
tutional Amendment. Clearly it is not the
fault of these petitioners that they ask tor too
little. But we are rather disposed to con-
slider the magnitude of the misery which ex-
cites such an enthusiasm as this, than to dwell
upon the impracticability of the methods OF
reform which are proposed. We cannot forget
the pauperism which multipes public burdens,
the lavish waste of productive IOwcr, the IN
crease of major and Of minor crimes, and the
private misery which fills with despair and
shrouds in darkness so many homes. lt II not
strange that those who constantly contemplate
these accumulating evils should grew des-
perate IN their ideas of remedy by legisla-
tion. In Il democracy this Is always the
first resource. We have perhaps exaggerated
ideas of the force Of law making. The first
thing which our philanthropists think OF Is
statute. Their logic Is irreiragahle. II nobody
il permitted 10 manufacture or sell lntoXicat-
ing liquors, then nobody will become intoXl-
cated-a position which ii would be diihcult
TO disturb or Tefutc. SO after bcsicgng the
state Legislatures for thirty years, the opera
tons have been transferred To the National
Capito and it is proposed to put Total Abb
s,inencc into the Constitution of the United
States. OF course these excellent people are
asking for an impossibility. Moreover, they
have no clear idea of the nature OF the
Constitution, which is fundamental, not n string
of statutes. and deals with the simplest poSsl-
bic generals, not with details ard particulars.
The right of Congress Ia prohibit the traffic III
the District OF Columbia is somewhat clearer;
but on the other hand. one does not sce upon
what principle petitions for the prohibition OF
the importation of alcoholic liquors were re-
fcrrcd to the Committee on tie District. Bad
a the liquor traffic may bc, we are not sure
that interference by Congress with the inter
nal police of the States would not bc worse.
Perhaps we have right to make Total ABB
,iincncc a condition of the civil, military, and
naval seryice-if We can. The question Is, Can
Wet j. this n measure which the majority de-
srcs. or to which it would submit
We must acknowledge, however, that these
petitions come from the mcst respectable
sources, and are entitled to the most respect
full hearing Many of them are from churches,
and many from the organization known as the
Sons of Temperance. Some oi them are from
the Society of Friends, body always fore
most in good works. There can bc no dispute
about the evil against which they aro directed;
and we consider them 10 be of good import,
whether the experiments which they ask for
shall be tried or not. The temperance reform
has rot suppressed the liquor traffic, but it has
directed the public attention to the vice of
drunkenness, and it keeps that attention
awake. The very act Of asking for lcgis-
ation is beneficial, whether the laws asked for
are granted or not. There are men who can drink
moderately, and there are men who cannot but
the temperance discussion keeps the first upon
their guard, and persuades others not to drink
Mt all. There may b" nations which do not
need these Influences; but ours is not one of
them. 1t will hardly be denied that the gene
raj tendency here is t0 excess. To counteract
this. TO keep those who indulge in alcoholic
drink within reasonable limits, the temperance
reform has done and is still doing much. Those
who do not accept this method of moral work
will hardly deny this fact, nor will they assert
that no special effort is needed to promote So
briefly. Those who unite and labor to promote
good morals are certainly entitled to the graf
itudo and encouragement Of society.
There is, we suspect, II tendency even among
conscientious men Of particular class to
undelrate the evils Of drunkenness. They are
repealed by what seems to them very much
like fanatcism. They have made no special
study of the subject. They do not fully com
prchend the misery and ruin which hard
drinking occasions. They have kind of con-
tempt for the brother who cannot control his
appetite, because of tho real nature Of that
appetite they understand nothing. Sometimes
they are charitable and sometimes they arc
not, according to Their humor or their pa
tence We do not blame them, but wo may
well ask them not to turn scornfully from
those who in this cause are willing to work,
and not to be too hard upon tho mistakes of
rcformers who, being moved by pity, are some
times also mis!cd by their Indignation.
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