The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-02-15
1T Is NEVER STALE.

Ieople orc apt 10 tnlnk that the
temperance question grows stale and
tlreseme, and that there is nothing to
be said about it. But this can never
be. The theme is always fresh, because
its facts are ever progressive. 1t is
the Wandering Jew who never rests,
aud never Crews old, and never ceases
to desolate each country he invades.
We are never weary of watching his
foot prints, whether described by Eu-
gene Sue on foreign shores of Nova
Zembls or imprinted in the burning
sands at the sources OF the Nile. Even
so OF the genius of whisky. We see
its face in every possible degree Of des-
olation and phase of hideoHsness, and
so variable are the lights and shadows
Of the picture that men and women
never discover monotony in its aspects.
We are told that each year there are
in this country 10000 men wko
die drunkards. There are annually
800 murders and 500 suicides and 1O0,-
600 paupers, all directly attributable to
rum. In view Of these appalling fig
ures how can it be alleged that there
is nothing new to be said on the tenn
perance question? There is always
something new. How is it, If these
figures are true, that our courts and
Legislature do not see them. An ora
tor tells of a man who was accused of
stealing hams. Four witnesses saw
him steal the hams, and his own coun-
sci could say nothing in his favor, but
his previous good character, it seemed,
acquitted him. His counsel afterward
privately asked him how it was, and
lac replied, "The jury had some of the
hams" That's what's the matter with
lawmakers and courts and voters,
said the speaker; they've had some
of the hams. Henry Wilson, the late
Vice President, was once asked at din
ner by a lady to take glass of wine.
He refused, and was then asked to
pass 1t to lady near him. He again
refused, saying, "Woe to him that put
teth the bottle to his neighbours lips"
Some men call themselves temperance
men but won't vote for prohibition.
They are like an Irishman in Boston
who went out one cold morning to
sell pies. ''Hot pics" he cried.
About noon a man bought one, but, on
biting it, found it frozen. ''How, you
rascal, do you call hot pies when this
is frozen" ''Arrah, be aisy sir; that's
the name of them" And 80 it is with
temperance men who object to prohi-
bition. They have the name, but moth
ing else. The hope of the country is
N the boys. A heathen mother once
took her boy to the altar and made him
swear eternal hatred to the Romans.
So ought we to take our boys and
make them swear eternal hatred to
rum. Some say they can drink or let
it alone. This is fallacy. The man
who begins to tamper with these poi
sons never knows whittier he Is gong
whether to a suicides, a murderer's
or pauper's grave. In view of facts
like these, which we encounter every
where and which have even become so
commonplace that we cease TO measure
their repulslveness or the public and
private evils flowing from them-in
tbs presence of such facts it is hardly
possible that those who love the city
they inhabit and the State they serve
will become weary of discussion
which cannot be repressed TIL the hand
of reform has reached the very origin
of the measureless calamity. Like one
of the curses sent upon ancient Egypt,
it "has come upon US and upon our
people and into our bed chambers, "
and is desolating the land.