Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-04-25
OUR GOTHAM LETTER.
Gentle Spring, and what it Brings
he Temperance MOVement-The
Soap Men In Court.
From our Regular Cores. .pORdeTt.
GONE, GENTLE SPRING"

From our Regular Cores pondeHt
''CoME, GENTLE SPRING"
Spring, gentle Spring, with all its diph-
therial mildness, has come, The grass is
green and velvety in the Parks. Spring
over-coats and Easter suits flourish one
day, and porous plasters and cough drops
the next. Fresh Florida asparagus is in
the market at dollar a bunch and is as
tough as pawnbroker's conscience, while
last years growth, tender and luscious,
is offered in cans at thirty cents. Straw
berrys, warranted to give the cohc at nine
ty rods, bring fifty cents basket; and
your youngest runs her slender fingers
through your grizzled locks and archly
asks (which you think would be most be-
coming to her, blue silk or garnetg'
II these are not symptoms of the
rapid approach of Spring, then what on
earth do they mean?
NEW CRUSADE AGAINST INTEMPERANCE.
A fresh army is being levied in New
York for the war against King Alcohol.
1t carries on its banner the pondrouS mon
ogram ''B. NJ. S. E. M" which, being in
terpreted, is Business Mems Society for
the Encouragement OF Moderation" 1t
provides no less than four different pied
ges, and invites its members to choose
whichever is best suited to their individual
cases. The pledge cards are red, white,
blue, and tri-color respectively. The red
is complete total abstinence pledge;
the white is pledge against drinking in
business hours; the blne pledges against
treating or being treated; and the tri-color
is promise TO abstain from any intoxicai-
eating liquor stronger than wine or ale,
and these only at meals. All these pied
ges are for a specified term, to be deter
mined by the signer. The founders Of
this society are business men of the very
first standing. In the presidents chair is
Mr.. +. B. Thurber, and among the Vice
Presidents and Originators are such men
as Peter Cooper. Thurlow Weed, Judge
Noah Davis, Ex-Governor Hartranft, Rev.
o. b. rockingham, and Elwood E. Thorne
Though containing some interest in the
wholesale liquor traffic, and many mOder-
ate drinkers, it does recommend any ab-
stalner to begin course of drinking, how
ever moderate. Realizing that moderate
drinking may, and often does lead to
drunkenness, it says: at is better to let
Rum alune;" but because the majority OF
men will not do this it adds: IF YOU will
drink, do 1t moderately; keep your head
clear in business hours; confne your po-
tations to light wines and beers, and above
all, cease the absurd aud rulnous habit of
treating and being treated Itacknowl.
edges drunkenness, in The words OF MIR.
Fruthingham, as "lhe fundamental vice Of
civilized nations" ard realize its obliga-
tion 10 do something towards stemmIng
the fearful current of intemperunce. Il
hopes to recruit thousands in its ranks.
who would be deaf to more radical pleas,
and claims to have the same end in view
as the more extreme wing OF the Temper
anee army. The plan embraces the for.
nation Of auxiliary societies throu ghout
the lands the promotion of knowledge in
the science and statistics Of liquor, the
establishment OF places of recreation where
nu intoxantS are allowed, and first, last