The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-09-19
HOW To SAVE MEN FROM TnE
SALOONS.
Make Home Pleasant,


From Appleton's Journal.
1t is offered as an excuse for the re-
cent very extraordinary proceedings
against liquor sellers, that women are
peculiarly sufferers from intemperance
among men. The drinking shop, il is
alleged, seduces husbands and. sons
from their homes, tempts them TO the
spending of wages needed in their
households, and is the fruitful cause
OF vast domestic misery, which falls
heavily upon the women Of the family.
No doubt this is true. But we ac-
cuse women Of being especially respon-
sible for this condition Of things. We
charge that men, especially Young
mep, are seduced to the drinking shop
because it possesses superior attrac-
tions TO their homes. We iudict wo-
men, both as mothers and wives, for
such neglect Of their duties that their
hgf6ad IN pnfsnit OF those pleasures
and felicities that women are under
moral obligation TO provide in the
household. H.
There are some men so depraved by
nature that no influence is powerful
enough TO keep them from evil. These
exceptionable cases we exclude from
present consideration. They are NOR
ally diseased, and the physicians alone
can adequately deal with them.
But the average man il entirely sus-
ceptible to influences. His conduct is
certain TO provo a dedIite result Of
training aud education. II 10 a matter
of pure dynamics. IL the good infu-
ences that surround him are greater
than the evil ones, he will yield to the
former; il the evil influences are great
or than the COED ones, he will surreu-
der to the latter. OF course. this is
Just as true of women as IL IL of men.
But the question now before us il this:
How far are womcr rcsponsii.le for the
dissipated course "a me' How Is II
that the society of the dttIn shop is a
greater social power than that OF the
hoarthstone?
When We hear woman complain
that her sons have drifted away from
dominion OF her influences; that, while
educated at her siue, they have come
to prefer the companionship Of the vi
cious to that OF her, then we know this
mother has been unequal to the duty
imposed upon her. Where there are
I
there has been some fatal neglect in
home training that has permitted this
deplorable result TO come about.
When we hear OF tho husband who
ceaselessly seeks for his felicities
abroad, who prefers the public house,
| the club, or boon companions, TO the
society of his family, then We are as-
sured that in some way the homo,
which ought to be first in his affections,
has failed 10 assert that dominion over
his heart, which il rightly conducted
| 10 wonld have been sure 10 do.
The average American interior is op-
pressively droary. Men eat and sleep
| in their houses because ID il more con.
venient to sleep and eat there than else
where; but, beyond this. the ordinary
"roof.tree" is utterly without attrac.
tions. Ii is without attractions, not so
| much from a previous determination
that its whole economy shall be Of the
most pinched, stinted, narrow, and
cheerless character, such as only i'm
aRinatioD, false economy. cold eympa-
tlies, and selfish tastes, can make IT,
Go into our towns and villages, and
see the so-called homes. Watch and
discover the theory under which 80
many of them are conducted. A win
dow is never open; n door never stands
aiar. During the day the glorious sun
is never permitted TO enter their dark
ened chambers; at night feeble light
through a window shows how the fami.
ly disinally burrow in a corner. Enter,
aud you will discover that the house IL
inhoepitable to the stranger, and gives
1 mi haf a l. at A. h.a an.
ioyed by it's inmates. The parlors are
chill with an atmosphere that rarely
knows human presence. The pas
sages echo the sound OF your footfal
as II startlnd by the unusual Intrusion
The women are gathered in the kitchen
where the stove-heated air and the
odors Of the cuisine are sickening anC
unwholesome; and the men are any
where out OF the honse. anywhere Il
escape the appalling deadness that set
ties upon the place.
In these homes, the women woul,
rather their sons should idle the day q
the postofiice, the village store. or tb
ale-house. N 40 let the sunbeams ente
their parlofs and fade the carpetsl-
They would rather their sous aud bus
bands should at night enjoy the goo'
cheer OF the public-house, than ieb
an extra candle, build glowing fir
or permit social hilnrity within the av
ful shadows Of their sbut-up apart
ments. IL these homes the whole ~
il the art 81 not TO live. To keep a
things neat, and orderly, and circuH
speci; to pre- ent no flaw for the e, II
caiion III Mrs. Grundy; to suppress a
Impulses, all tastes, all pleasures, q
ih.artinsss, all life--these things s.eI
10 be the great purpose Of the asceti
women who control them. IL Is n
wonder that men escape from then
and pr, fer even the coarse amusement
of the pnblic-bouse. for 10 bve is th