New-York tribune., 1877-06-13
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE TEMPERANCE REVIVAL.
ONLY SLIGHT OPPOSITION MET WITH.


KIND FEELINGS TOWARD LIQUoR-sELLERs-How
THEY ARR PREATRD-THE RELIGIOUS ELEMENT.
lFROM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEl
ELMRA, June 11.--At the head Of every pledge
which Francis Murphy and those who are working
with him in the temperance present 10 the peO
pie for signature, and on the top Of every card
tanning copy of that pledge which the signer re-
ceves as kind of certificate or diploma. is printed
in large letters the motto of the movement, those
memorable words of Lincoln:
"With Malice toward none, and Charity for al"
The spirit Of tins motto pervades the whole move
ment, distinguishes il from other temperance rev-
vals and is the secret of its wonderful Tho
Murphy men abuse nobody, not even the rumseler
The speakers instead of painting the liquor traffic
the blackest of all crimes instead of calling tho
keepers of bars and drinking saloons murderers. as
sassins of domestic peace and happiness, and the
worst enemies of society, treat them with that
charity which their motto enIons. IL is useless to
expect TO convince man. the apostles of this new
gospel sf temperance say, by making him your
enemy at the start. If you denOunce the liquor
seller as the wckedest man in the community in
which he lives, he knows that you do him injustice,
and is pretty sure to get angry with you at once.
Their method is entirely different They speak of
the rumseller and the rum drinker IN strain
something like this: People do a great
many worse things than either to sell or to
drink whisky, and it cannot be denied that many Of
those engaged in the liquor traffic, we'll as those
who drink, in many respects good people, better
perhaps than s0me of their neigbbOrs who are en-
gagged in reputable business and never
intoxicating drinks. They very likely to be
more generous, more ready to assist friend in dis
tress, often more public spirited We admire their
good qualities we do not set ourselves up az judges
tn hay haaira ~ ininra
them in business otherwise. We do think that
the habit of drinking a curse to him who induges
it, and to his family and friends, and would like
to see the liquor traffic cease. We therefore urge
everybody to sign the pledge and keep it, We ask
people to stop selling and drinking liquor not be-
cause We desire to deprive any one of profit or
pleasure but because believe that it will be bet
ter for them and the community
The Murphy movement is in no sense political
one-that is it does not resort to political to
accomplish its ends. Men who join il may be pro
hbitionists" "licensers" or local optoniss,' and
there is nothing i'll its creed regulations to pre-
vent them from advancing the cause Of temperance
in any way their judgment may dictate, but the
Temperance Union as an organization strives neither
to secure the enactment of temperance laws nor to
insure the enforcement of those already on the
statute book The only means it uses is that of per-
suasion 1t has no spies watching for violations OF
the excise laws it does not even seek to close up
liquor saloons except it il able to convince the
owners of them that 1t is better TO 60 out Of the
business.
A temperance revival of this kind meets with no
opposition except such grows ont of the appetes
and business interests of people If the temperance
people go into the political arena and undertake to
break up the liquor traffic by enacting laws against
it, the dealers who have far more vital interest
than the reformers, can generally raise the moro
money and defeat them on that ground. If the laws
are already enacted they are oftener evaded than
enforced. Where spies discover one violation OF
law and secure It's punishment, hundred are never
detected. But persuasion such as the Murphy men
employ cannot be met. When the rclOrmers urge
men to stop drinking, the liquor dealers have
to say Amen. IL they say anything, tor III Wouiu Do
hard to find man, matter what his habits or his
business may be, who VIII urge that dGunkenness Is
a blessing. And this is the reason why the singular
spectacle has been witnessed In this part OF the state
since the Murphy movement began, of liquor deal
ers publicly approving temperance revival when
has injured their business more than any other
which ever occurred, and in one or two instances,
contributing their money for Its support.
One other marked feature OF the Murphy move
ment is that without any special effort 10 make III
So il has become dlstinctyely relslOuS IN ls cnar-
actcr The language of the pledge may have eXerted
an influence i'm this direction. Ii is IN these words:
81 the undersigned, do pledge my word and
eating liuuors as a beverage and that VIII, by all
honorable means, encourage Others 10 ABSTAIN In
every town where the temperance revival has been
general hundreds of people who before wanliested
no interest in religious matters have after signing
the pledge began to attend churen aiu 70 seek the
companionsbp of pious people The leaders OF tho
WashingtoHdn movement, quarter OF century
ago and more discouraged reference t0 religious SUD-
jects in their meetings Perhaps majority OF the
speakers in the Murphy mOyement nave not been
protesting Christians but the revival 0t temperance,
one of the Christian graccs. seems 10 Lave Drought
with it a renewed interest IN religion. Z. L. W.