Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-21
For the VERMONT FARNHR.
Woman and Temperance.


Quaker descent and the spirit moves me.
Woe is me if write not on this same SUBJ
ject, old and threadbare as it is. Men have
talked and labored and legislated; and
women have wept and prayed and suffered
but the fact remains that immense quant-
ties Of intoxicating liquors are yearly con-
sumed; still are tho clearest intellects
clouded, the purest moral natures polluted,
the happiest homes desolated, the finest for.
tunes squandered and our prisons and pen
itentiaries filled with the subjects Of King
Alcohol And why2 Because the appetite
demands it. The supply always equals the
demand. So long as the people want it, so
long it will be made and sold. There is
small hope for the cause Of temperance save
in some plan which shall destroy the accursed
appetite.
Now 1 want to call the attention Of women
and especially mothers to the fact that they
hold in their hand the power to stay the cause.
Children up to fifteen or sixteen years of age
are generally under some woman's special
influence Now If we we're thoroughly alive
to the importance Of the subject, We could 30
train our sous and daughters that the coming
generation should be with few exceptions
one solid phalaux Of temperance men aud
women. A mother holds her child's heart
in her hand, she moulds or neglects to mould
the character of the future citizen she
creates or fails to create the principles which
shall decide the destiny of the world. Her
child's heart may be her playthiug she may
toss it about as the schoolboy does his ball,
as her amusement or caprice shall dictate ;
She may cast it aside to develop as circum-
stance or chance shall direct while she
drudges for the gold which the world wor-
ships, or amuses herself with vanities which
have so dwarfed and belittled womanhood !;
Or she may receive it as sacred charge,
solemn and holy responsibility to be accepted
with reverent joy and wrought out with un-
RENTING faithfulness.
If we were thoroughly imbued with the
idea that intemporance is a vice from which
nobody is safe without fixed principles
against it, could we not so set before our chill
dren the exceeding hideousness and defor-
nifty of this monster evil, so warn them Of
its fearful power and treachery, so equip
them with tho armor of principle, so place
them under the protection Of the heavenly
powers that they would be safe that each
one should go forth from US so strong in the
right that this cruel vice should have no
power over them? We carefully train our
children concerning the rights Of property ;
we establish firmly in their minds the grand
old edict "thou shalt not steal !" could we
not also impress "a strongly upon their young
mlds an abhorreBce of drunkenness Aud
many man whose integrity was irreproach-
able in his normal condition, now lies in q
felon's cell because he put himself under the
rule of Alcohol.
"Whom the Gods would destroy they first
make mad" and what can equal the exceed
log madness of those who put ian enemy il
in their mouths to steal away their brains p
And this fixed hatred of this hateful vice
will not come alone from talking; We must
act, we must live. They must see in US the
the same fixed principles which we would
erect in them No word, no act, no practice
of ours must show federation for what WI
pretend to condemn. No true temperance
woman can make or use any Of the home
made wines which so many housekeeper
take pride in producing. The inconsistency
of such thing must be apparent TO every
thoughtful woman. 1t would be pleasure
no doubt; and it might not injure ns, bu
surely, we, the daughters of the grand old
martyrs who made SO many sacrifices 70
their childrens prosperity, can give up thi
small pleasure for the far more exceeding
and eternal glory Of giving to the futur
men and women over whom drunkenness shall
have no power.
Aud to the same training We give our son
, let us also subject our daughters 1t viii
not hurt them. Let US not be too conf
dent that drunkenness is a masculine vicC
Look at the police reports and zee that tn
same women are arrested for drunkenness
over aud over, sometimes a hundred times
BE sure that your daughter will never. pu
the wine cup to her lips. You think tn
risk is very small it may be- but there
another reason that you should arm you
daughter with the same armor 10 which 20
equip your sons. From her arms shall G
forth sons and daughters as your sons AM
daughters now 60 forth from you. 1t rest
with you to make them earnest, active, per
I sevoring temperance women, that they i
turn may send out vigorous soldiers to fgh
, the mighty evil which is so foul bolt o
the fair fame of our beloved country.
Factory Point, w. S. A. N.