Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-21
COUGH on ZEALOTS.
The Old Veteran thinks there are Too
Many Leaders in the Temperance
Cause-Ninety and Nine Cor
porals to One Private.
Like the Army under Sherman, IL Is Too
TOp-Heavy-A More Equal Dis
tributiOn OF the Fruits OF
Labor Needed.


started for Europe, was interviewed for the
second time in his life. On the first occasion
Mr.. Cough says the reporter of western pa
per slightly misrepresented him. He eX-
pressed an opinion that the mode resorted to
by certain ladies in the cause of temperance
of creating great excitement on the streets
and singing and praying in public places was
not quite seemly, and the reporter construed
him to say that he was opposed to prayer and
enthusiasm. So far from that being the case,
Mr.. Cough said he was one of the greatest
believers in enthusiasm as a motive power in
stirring up the stagnant pool of human ma
ture.
do you think the temperance cause is
making rapid progress, Mr.. Gough?"
"Well, | think it is, but not SO rapid as
some well-meaning, but rather impulsive
advocates, would have us believe. | don't
like to criticise; it is rather out of my line;
but there are certain calculations made by
these impulsiye people that don't do the
cause any good
What do you refer to especially?''
"Well, to give you a case IN point, it has
been calculated in solemn earnest that Pitts
burg had sixty-6ve thousand reformed drunk
ards out of a population of eighty thousand.
To any person who knows the elements of
arithmetic this is sheer absurdIty on the face
of it, and calculation OF this kind forms a
very effective weapon of ridicule in the hands
of our opponents. Another advocate of the
estimated the number of reformed male
drunkards in the United States at four mil.
hon. You know it would be almost impossi-
BILE to raise an army of this size of male
adults"
Mr.. Cough intimated that stricter adhe-
sion to truth, or at least something less man
testify false, would have better and more
permanent effect on the cause. He said the
red-rlbbon movement had been singularly
successful, chiefly, he believed, owing to its
attempt to follow the gospel plan and avoid
sensation.
Mr.. Cough was here about to indulge his
natural propensity In some ludlcrous stories
that would have exhibited certain of the i'm
pulsive reformers in an unenviable light but
a temperance brother who was present at the
interviewIchecked him with a reminder that
his humorous illustrations might injure the
cause and through this ill-timed caution some
of Mr.. Coughs best jokes may be lost to pos
terty.
'What is your opinion of the leadership of
the party in general?'
'Well, l think in this respect-but perhaps
| am saying too much now-it is very like
tine labor party. 1t has too many leaders.
Ninety nine corporals to one private" SAID
Mr.. Cough, In a tone of humorous sarcasm,
''does not display good .generalship in the or
ganiZation of an army"
What do you think of the blue-ribbon
movement"
'Well, l suppose Murphy is sincere, and
is doing considerable good in his way. be-
lieve him to be thoroughly honest man, and
he is very much In earnest, l think, in the
work"
But you think this work of his party is
not so effective as it might be-if there were
fewer zealots aspiring to leadership
well, you might perhaps make that as
sertion with lmpunity, but in my position
you can see it would scarcely be prudent for
me to answer it In the affirmative. l am not
a prohibitionist in the general acceotation of
that term; but don't be like the Pittsburo
reporter, now; don't go and publish that
said | am opposed to prohibition. | believe
in prohibition, If the principle were estab-
lished in a rational manner What l mean
is, that | do not believe In a few men, prob
ably with other political objects in view, en-
deavorIng to force prohibition by means of
legislation in spite of the wishes of the peo-
ple, and before they are prepared for 1t.
When the moral sentiment which is now
working its way into the minds of the
masses becomes predominant, then we shall
have prohibition as a natural con sequence
In other words, when the people want prohi-
bition they will have it without the aud of
political caucusses or fanatical leaders. These
self-conshtuted leaders are doing us immense
harm. When these people talk about five
million people in this country having signed |
the temperance pledge, 1t only excites ridicule |
IN rational minds"
''Do you think that politics and the tenn
perance question should be kept more dis |
tinctP"
81 believe that the temperance movement, |
prudently represented, will do more for poll |
tics than pohtice will do for it. | believe it |
will yet, and perhaps ere long, be a mIghtier |
power in politics than rum has ever yet been; |
and L think you will admit that the compare |
son Is pretty strong one. As men become |
sober, they will take an interest in the gov
ernment. and that will give it greater sta
blllty. The acquisition of property will be /
more general among the working classes, and |
when man owns home he will not be
communist. When he owns lands he will go |
in for Reputation. You see these influences |
will act and react upon each other. Sobriety
Will be means OF obtaining power honor
and prosperity, and the hope of acquiring
these Will act as an incentive to sobriety. l |
believe there never has been time when the |
reason and common sense of the people at |
large were so easily appealed to on the ques-
ton OF temperance as to-day"
what do you think of communism?"
There are but few real communists fn the |
country; but a few obstinate minds can form |
a nucleus for a formidable revolution. If the |
country was prosperous their perturbed spirits |
would have no rallying point, no excuse for
agitation
That last remark, Mr.. Cough, seems to |
suggest that great problem of the day-the |
laoor question:, and the kind OF legislation |
which 1T requires
There, my friend, you have opened a |
wide field for discussion, and one which l |
cannot enter upon until after my season of |
rest IN Europe. After my return | intend to
take up the labor question IN connection with
the temperance cause. AS l intimated to you,
they have an important bearing upon each
other, and offer more interesting study to
the minds of leaders than calculating the
imaginary numbers of reformed drunkards.
1t seems to me, however, that the condition
of the working class can be greatly improved
through legislation. | know this is not ex-
actly In accordance with the old theories of
political economy, but the world moves, and
as soon as the workingmen, through the in
huence of sobriety and a higher education,
come to discern clearly their power in politics,
the aspect of society will change We want
a more equitable distribution of the fruits of
labor"
Mr.. Cough, his wife and two daughters
sailed on the Scythia for England on Friday
last.
The reporter, in conclusion, suggested that
MIR. Cough would, probably, become so popu-
lar in his new role that the people would run
him for office, but the great temperance ora
tor naively replied that he believed he had |
mora! courage enough now to resist even that |
draught-
For the Sunday Appeal
CUPID's WORK