The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-01-18
Startling Statistics.

| AC Tile DrOau-Street MeGh0ulSt church. o
Sunday morning Rev. Mr.. Steel preached o
temperance. He gave some startling stats
tics on the subject. There are in this coun
| try four liquor-shops to every church, six Ii
quor-dealers to every minister, and two Ii
quor-dealers to every teacher. Sixty mil
lions OF dollars are spent to. support the COS
pei one hundred millions to carry on eiuca
ton, against seren hundred millions spcn
for whiskey. Whiskey gives lis annually SIX
hundred thousand drunkaris, one hundred
| and thirty thousand widows and orphans,
and sixty thousand hopeless graves. Mr.
Steel quoted figures to show that Phi.adei.
phia receives fourteen cents profit on the Ii,
cense of the trade, and pays one dollar for
the crime it produces. He thought the traf-
fic and the use of ardent spirits ought to be
prohibited upon strictly economical princi-
pies, not to mention religion, and urged his
people to use their inf1ue nee in favor of re-
form.-Richmond Dis patch.
We found the above startling statement in
one OF our exchanges, and cannot therefore
|
patch, nor the time when the sermon was
preached. This is not important, but the
facts are, and call for the serious considera-
ton of every good citizen. The painful
truth was manifested in Staunton, in Rich
mond, and other places, in the State, on
Christmas day, calling for especial mention
from the press, that :; great deal Of excess
sive dissipation was INDUCED by the young
men and boys-much greater than had ever
before been noticed-and that youths from
l6 to 20 years, were seen reeling on the
streets, who were not known to partake of
ardent spirits. It was an evidence that the
moral restraints of society have not been in
creasing-that there has been u looseness or
a liberty encouraged in respect to liquor
drinking that is developing into excessive
dissipation without any apparent compunc-
tions of conscience, and that society does
not view it as the most destructive enemy to
It's peace and happiness.
We are no fanatics on the subject of Ii
quor drinking, but we know what it is, and
its fearful consequences. And it is for th S
reason that we feel called upon, from sense
OF duty, to impress the obligation upon-eY-
cry citizen to aid in intoxicating sentiment
OF opposition to the use of liquor as bever-
age, for it is not known what passion the
slightest indulgence may bring into vigorous
and uncomfortable existence. The mere
waste of money in the purchase of the Ii
quor is but a pittance in comparison with
the misery and degradation it entails upon |
individuals and communicative crime of
which it is the source, and the great harm |
effected in all the relations of life. We do |
not believe that statutory enactmcnts would |
effect any reform Of themselves. The con-
science of the people must be first educated |
up to that moral sensitiveness, which com
prehends the great evil in all of its phases. |
The reform must precede the laws, which |
should be based upon the demand of society, |
fully aroused to the fearful influence that |
habitual indulgence exerts over the impress
sible natures and habits OF the young. In |
che work OF educating the conscience OF the
people all good citizens should engage, and
by example and precept, endcavor to avert
the terrible strides of this arch enemy to hui
man happiness.