Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-10-11
TEACH THE CHILDREN.

TEACH THE CHILDREN.
There is, probably, no hallucina,ion so
obstinate as that which attributes to al
coholc drink a certain virtue which it
never possessed After all the influences
OF the pulpit and the press. after all the
warning examples OF drunkenness and
consequent destruction, after all the tes-
,imony Of experience and science, there
fingers in the average mind an impression
,ha, there is something good in alcohol,
even for the healthy man. Boys and
young men do not shun the wine cup, as
poisoner cf blood and thought, and the
most dangerous drug that they can pos
sibly handle but they have an idea that
the temperance man is fOgy, or foe to
free. social life, whose practices are as
cetic, and whose warnings are to be
laughed a; and disregarded. Now in al
cohol, in its various forms, we have a foe
to the human race so subtle and so pow
erful that it destroys human beings by
the million, yi,ia,es all the processes Of
those who indulge in it, degrades morals,
induces pauperism and crime in the su-
perlative degree when compared with
other causes, and corrup,s the homes of
millions.
1t is a cruel thing to send 4 boy ou,
into the world unisught that alcohol in
any form is fire, and will certainly burn
him if he puts it into his stomach. 1t is
a cruel thing to educate boy in such a
way that he has no adequate idea OF the
dangers tha, bese; his path. |, IS mean
thing to send boy out to take his place
in society without understanding the re-
la,ions OF temperance to his own safety
and prosperity, and TO the safety and
prosperity Of society.
What we wan. in our schools is 10 do
away with the force Of a pernicious eI-
ample, and ong-cherished error, by
making the children thoroughly intelli-
gen, on this subjec, Of alcohol. They
should be taught the effect OF alcohol
upon the processes Of animal life. L.
They should be taught that it can add
nothing whatever TO the vital forces or TO
the vital tissues, that il does not enter
into the elements Of structure, and, that,
in the healthy organism, it is always u
burden or disturbing force. 2.-They
should be taught that i, invariably disturbs
the operations Of the brain, and that the
mind can get nothing tina. is to be relied
upon. 3.-They should be taught that
alcohol infames the baser passions, blunts
the sensibili,ies, and debases the feelings.
4.-They should be taught tina, the ap-
petite for drink is certainly developed by
those who use it, which is dangerous to
life, destructive to health Of body and
peace Of mind, and in millions of instances
ruinous to fortune and to all the high in.
,erests OF the soul. 5.-They should be
laugh, tha, the crime and ps.uperism ot
society flow as naturally from alcohol a:
any effect whatever naturally flows from
its competent cause. 6.-They should
be taught that drink is the responsible
cause of most Of the poverty and want o.
: the world. So long as six hundred mil
lion dollars are annually spent for drink
in this country, every ounce of which wa:
made by the destruction Of bread, ant
not one ounce of which has ever entered
into the sum of national wealth, having
nothing to show for its cost but destroyed
stomachs, degraded homes, destroyed in
dustry, increased pauperism, and aggra
waited crime, these boys should understand
the facts and be able to upon them il
their first responsible conduct.
The national wealth goes into tn,
ground. If we could only manage Il
bury it without having it pass thither
ward in the form Of poisonous Aui,
through the inaamed bodice, of our neigh
bors and friends, happy should we be
But this great, abomir able curse domin
, ates the world. The tramp reminds u
of it as he begs for u nights lodging
The widow and the fatherless tell US @
it as they ask for bread. 1t scowls upo
, US from the novels and haunts of the poo
everywhere. Ew:n the clean, hard work
ing man Of prosperity cannot enjoy hi
earnings becap Sc the world is full Of mis-
cry from atink. The more thorough
we car. instruct the young concerning thi
,, dominating evil of our time the bette
will it be for them and for the world
: DR.. j. e.. Holland.