Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-04-25

The first right Of society is that Of self
protection. The worst enemy Of society
in our time and country is alcohol. The
State ought to protect every city, every
hamlet, every neighborhood, every
home, within its bounds, from the ''blaek
plague" of this traffic in intoxicating
drinks, this business of making drunkards
tramps, paupers and criminals.
II the Government of the State has
not as yet acquired enlightenment and
moral force enough to protect its citizens,
as a whole, the very least that, with any
decent regard for its safety and welfare,
1t can do, is TO permit the several locali-
ties the option of taking the mat
ter into their Own-hands, and, if they will
enforce measures for their own safety.
This point is too clear to require argu-
ment.
The time Is coming when an instructed
and permanently aroused public sentiment
will compel the State governments to
adopt measures of thorough-going prOhi-
bition. There are States where this can
not be done at present. The larger cities
stand IN the way. But the Temperance
sentiment is growing. The evils of in
temperance really horrible beyond all
expreSSlOn-are being more generally Un-
derstOOd. The people, not the mere pro-
feSsiOnal refOrmerS, but all eOnSiderate
people, have got to thinking about it.
Even women. averSe as they naturally are
TO mere publicity, are seeing that they
can no longer shirk responsibility for
their share in the great movement. The
prayer-cruSade helped to take the scales
from some eyes. Late as they have
been in getting to the recognition Of their
duty, the women are, in nearly all parts
Of the country, taking hold with a heart
and will. Yet nothing which good and
brave women are doing can lessen the re-
SpOnsibilities still resting on the men.
Mothers, wives, sisters, have infinite rea-
sons for being thoroughly IN earnest in
the cause; so have We sll.
The legislatures Of a large number Of
the States are now in session. Many Of
these representatives are honest, eniSht-
ened men, who study deeply, and with
more or less Of far-seeing Sagacity, the
tremendous problems Of the time, which
condition the happiness and advance
ment Of society. A few of these come
with inbred atfinitieS for the worst infuenc-
eS that are abroad. Some will act as the
mere puppitS Of the Liquor Associations,
by whose help they obtained their places.
But We prefer to believe that the majority
Of them are actuated by the SincereSt con
siderationS for the public good. They will
not all think alike. There Is the need Of
patience. especially the patience OF hope.
The public mind needs 10 be educated;
but il needs quite as much to attain the
legitimate courage Of its conviction, and
dare 10 assume and to assert its response
biliticS.
Public opinion, from which we hope so
much, amounts TO nothing unless il ex-
press itself, and do something to actua-
lize itself. Half the time it is useless be-
cause it lies so latent. UneXpreSSed, it
remains mOperatiYe; unknown, IL might
almost as well not be. The evil-minded
ought TO know, and find it impossible to
mistake what the good think. \ great
deal Of public sentiment that Is correct
enough, rs FAR as it goes, Is well-nigh
criminal because it stops just where u
ought 10 begin, and is mum when II ought
to speak. III
The friends Of the so-called and we'll
named ''home protection movement IN
mis- State are conSpicuously wise IN this:
that they have been holding public meet
mos and circulating popular petition ad-
dressed 10 the Legislature asking for the
rnsctrlent Of the Local Option law. The
State Legislators, by this means, are en-
nbled to fiud out what the best people
really want And, too. one Of tho best
things about the local option plan Is, that
il rolls upon each local community its own
responsibility, necessiates agitation, starts
inquiry, organizes discussion, bringing
out the entire public sentiment Of all
parties interested, both men and women,