Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-02-07

rising generation In the cardinal pr1nc1-
ciples of temperance; which builds up
sentiment in every community that
will make boys and young men loathe
liquors for principles sake. and make
every man feel in his own heart that he
is committing a crime when he drinks
liquors This live sentiment will pros
ecute the rum sellers, shut up the nui-
sance holes and prosecute the violator
of the liquor laws, as other lawbreakers
are prosecuted.
As we have intimated above, temper
ance people are themselves to blame for
the misfortunes engendered by rum, and
we will not shield the church, temper
ance organizations and so-called temper
ance men and women from blame. while
we condemn the drinker and seller of
liquors. sss fs
If churches, as organized bodies, can
excuse themselves from taking every
means in their power to shield every
person in their communities from the
dangers of rum, we do not see how they
do it. Certainly they ought to remove
every temptation to evil, as we'll as to
eradicate the evil now planted in the
heart. Thes'world" looks to the church
to take the lead in every good work, and
the "world' knows that any organiza-
ton claiming to labor for the Christian
or moral welfare of a community is I'M
der sacred obligations to work for tenn
perance. There is no escape from the
moral responsibility, and we doubt much
whether tie church can excuse itself on
the low grounds of policy. One active
grog-shop in a town will send more men
to ruin and damnation. than all the
churches and ministers in the town can
save. If the churches would take this
matter in hand, using every moral and
legal means at their command, the time
would soon come when the sons and
daughters of church members would not
be in peril on account of the rum inhu-
ence in their midst.
Temperance societies. where they
exist, are good in their place, but too
mildly good; they do not do the aggres-
sive, thorough work they ought. Con-
verted into pleasant club gatherings,
or lively meetings, where good songs
are sung and good speeches are made,
they are pleasant socially, and result IN
some good; but, as a rule, they do moi
mean cuisines" They do not seek tc
SAGE. they do not care to punish. A
temperance society, that is what il
ought to be, can make rumselling very
precarious business in any locality
There should be more temperance socie
ties. but they should make temperance
!, more of live issue.
But there is an individual RESPONSE
billty that rests upon every person whC
has the good of society at heart, which
cannot be placed on the church, the tenn
perance society, the officers of the law
nor anywhere else. 1t comes right dowr
home, and whoever stands aloof from
the work, on account of Indifference
! laziness, or fear of the friends of rum
= makes himself their ally. There ar,
pecuniary reasons why business men
officers of the town and all good citizen
should work together for the suppression
of drinking places and the retaining
of drunkards. Money paid out for rum
, in four cases out of five, takes bread GU
of the mouths of children, or is none,
owed to the merchant, mechanic, o
other man who has trusted the unfortu
nate drinker for things necessary 70
his use, or the comfort of his family
So far as town is concerned, it is wei
known that wherever liquors are freel
obtained, paupers bills are large. an
pauperism is entailed for years to come
AS a. matter Of economy, it would b
!, cheaper to support the rumseller in idle
: ness, than to support the paupers b
: will make if let alone. The amount {
pauperism, crime, debauchery, law-breal
: ing and general mischief may be meas
:, ured by the amount Of rum sold in
county or section, and nothing is easit
: of demonstration than that as matte
: of dollars and cents, it is the best ecol
= omy to enforce the liquor laws of IL
= State. No village or town where ru
y is known to be freely sold can escaI
~ the stigma that is justly brought upo
it. Every such community suffers fro
> it; nobody who would make worth
" citizen, would wish to buy farm, or
" village home, in town where his chi
y dren would be thrown into the socie
" of such boys as grow up in the atmo
', phere of bars and beer saloons; noboe
~ wishing to educate his children in Il
- village school or academy, would wi
=. to send them where it is known tn
y boys, as well as men, can buy liquo
70 at their pleasure. The morals and t
temperance principles of place ha
80 !, more to do with its growth, its busine
:, - and its standing than many are aware
~ We will end as we began, by trYi