The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-11-18
Temperance in Vermont.
(COncluded.)

(C0nclUded.)
Michigan lacked but one votc, and
Nebraska two, of passing the constitu-
Gonal amendment.
Wisconsin, has passed an anti-treat-
ing law, providing that any person in
viting another to drink with him, or
paying for drinks, shall be guilty of a
misdemcanor, and fined from five to
ten dollars on conviction of the same.
This is severe restriction to the oft
praised magnanimity Of rumsellcrs aud
drinkers, whose generous impulses to
benefit their fellow creatures are
thereby crushed.
In Tennessee the Brewers undertook
to repeal the "four mile law" that for
bids selling liquors within four miles
of any school or incorporated town,
Their defeat was overwhelming. and
the existing laws were made more
stringent, in spite of their vicious hos
tility. We must pity the drinkers IN
Tennessee, who are obliged to walk
four miles for glass of whisky. They
arc most OF them too poor to own Il
horse. II the selling and drinking of
spurious liquors is right and harmless.
there would be no more restriction to
it than there is to The traffic in sugar
and tea.
We have but glance at the agitation
on this subject i'll or own land. Had
we time we could note as great ad-
vanccment i'll England and other na-
llonS III Europe, i'll India-poor India,
whose people supposed for long time
that ii they became christians, they
must also acquire the drinking habit
that was so universal among foreign
ers; and i'll the isles Of the sea, where
the first written law ever made by ma
tive chiefs, was claw to prevent the
sale and use of Intoxicating liquors on
the Island of Ebon," Marshall Group
of Islands.
How can women bear their part in
this great work? 1t has been found
diflicult-sometimes impossible to in
troduce temperance lessons to the
schools. Until that can be done, we
must do as our mothers did before us,
teach temperance in the households:
giving cline upon line" wherever a
chance presents itself, and these early
lessons will be forgotten. | remember
seeing the glass decantcrs with the
pretty shoppers, standing on q side
board, and watching my father as he
poured out the rum, added the water
and sugar, drank of the mixture, and
goodnaturedly gave me the sugar left
In the glass. But although my father
was perfect in my eyes, l had learned,
| before | was five years old, to refuse
the offered sugar, and to look disap-
provingly upon the decantcrs and their
contents. Thus much for the mothers
influence as opposed to the fathers
habit.
Miss Willard relates that father ap-
plying for temperance catechism,
was asked if he was intending to orga-
niZc a temperance union, TO which he
gravely responded: "Madam, my wife
and will start one at our own fire.
side" Who can foretell the future
power Of juvenile union of one child,
with temperance and righteousness?
We must keep at work until temper
ance is considered more important
branch in school education than mathc-
mates.
. OF what value is that mathematics
that balances the profit of revenue to
the government OF $G0, 100000, against
the loss of Sl50, 600, 200, cost of distilled
and lermented liquors: and sets it
down as gain to the nation?
We must introduce Il philosophy that
will explain why man will quarrel
and vote TO keep the liquor saloons
open, and yet would prefer butchers
shop as'neighbor to the home of his wife
and children. And we will point to
the object lessons Taught by the Two
opposing parties softemperance, and in-
temperance, and ask boys on which
side they would be proud to stand.
Every family should have at least
one temperance paper, and it should
be allowed to lie on the table, where
the children coming in from school or
play, shall see and examine it. Attrac-
tive monthly papers can now be OBJ
tanned at five cents per year, or less
than half cent per copy; and at least
one little weekly paper is published in
Chicago, for ten cents a year, if sent in
lots of five or more to one address.
The National Advocate, organ OF the
National Temperance Society, spreads
useful information of the sort "dcsrcd
to make one wise' on temperance mat
ters, tor one dollar per annum.
Lastly, because nearest our hearts
and interests, comes Our Union, never
so valuable as during the present year.
1t is brave little soldier in our
army, striking at what is wrong
wherever it puts ont its head, unmind-
full whether it be sustained by friend or
foe. Its editor has no political con-
Germs to trammel her, so she calls
right right, and wrong wrong, accord
ing TO strict Bible measurement.
Every member of this convention
should take Our Union this year. II
you have no time to read ii yourself,
subscribe for poor neighbor, and by
sustaining the paper and benetiting
your neighbor, make of your sixty
one blow" OF the other temperance
literature, | will mention the lesson
books and leaflets prepared by Miss
Jnlia Coleman, National Superinten'
dent on literature, and aterrible GA
natic' in her department of work. Ii
we had about iilty such fSnatics in Yer
mont We should no longer need &c
say, "know ye," for unless our eyes
and hearts were wilfully closed, We
could not help knowing more OF The
disastrous workings of alcohol on tho
brain and character of man, than W.
now dream of.
Vermont is not wont to be laggar(
in following these fanatical pioneers
that "lurn the world upside down,
(to bring righteousness TO the top
/ In every land where have Travelled
was proud oc being New England
Yankee, born in Vermont. If. in thi
temperance movement, we should bl
; discovered in the rear, the disgrac'
would be inexcusable. But this can
not be. There is too much strength
, and love, and enthusiasm for righteous
| ness among the women of Vermont, L
admit their holding aloof from thi
branch of the Lords work. We can