Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-09-20
Fy-G0yERNoR PERHAM ON TEN
PERANCE.

Az the recent temperance meeting AZ
Ocean Park, Old Orchard. Ex-Governor
Perham Of Maine, succeeded Mr.. Boyd 10
4 sturdy speech on the temperance ques-
ton which he prefaced by touching anu
sion 70 the wounded President, expressing
the PRAYER and hope that he may even,u-
ally recover. In all perils, and especially
In the peril OF intemperance, God lives ano
the dependence should be first upon nun.
President Garfield has survived thus TAT
because he had been temperate man. Inc
evilo drink Is universal. Sorrow Is thick
over the land on account OF 1t. What Is
the duty OF American citizens In view OF
First, let US inquire II we can do Anything
to modify the evil? Every patriot should
especially ask himself this question. Ihe1e
is already great Improvement over tue
time when nearly everybody drank, ana
this should encourage all sincere temper.
ance workers. Now no community wouid
tolerate professed Christian who habit
ually drank. No respectable grocery keeps
liquor, and the tendency among all hquor
dealers Is to conceal their business.
This progress has shown itself IN dilnlh-
ishing the use Of intoxicants, and In making
the work and the workers more honored
In the country.
What are the best methods in carrying
on the work. The best must be prohlbi
ton, for no other method strikes at the
root of the evil The danger OF drinking
moderately, aud the Inconsistency OF 1t In
protested temperance man, are notorious.
| Last year GO, 900 moderate drinkers entered
the ranks Of the confirmed drunkards, not
one OF whom believed IL possible that such
would be his fate. There Is no safety In
such course. The cost or the habit Is
enormous. The most moderate OF drink
ers consume from twenty To sixty thous-
and dollars In the habit in lifetime. Life
| insurance companies take into account the
temperance habits OF applicants FOR poll
clcs, and they fairly illustrate the senti-
ment OF all cautious and shrewd business
men towards those who habitually although
moderately drink. Does not the iDdividu
| al duty, and relation To the welfare OF those
about US, require that each one make al
| least the sacrifice of total abstinence FOR
| the sake OF those who may be swayet
by example? Our neghbor Is Away,
among thieves, and there is never ;
time when the principle OF brotherly
! love and OF uuselfish help of Others Il
not called into exercise. Let no one thinl
when he disregards this duty Of example
before his fellows that Is dischargIng thu
Christian obligation. The Bible teaches
this principle-thc vital principle OF exem
plary piety In all relations OF life. Mr.
Perham's defense OF the Maine law wa
direct and convincing. In seveD-eigh,h:
OF the Seate OF Maine he said there was NJ
| liquor To be had. That the law does no
stop the traffic entirely Is no more agains
| IL than the fact of murders and thefts i
against the law which forbids or punishe!
these crimes. Some temperance men seen
to rely too much on law. That makes th,
law a dead letter. The peoples attitude
| towards the traffic Is what determines th'
! effectiveness OF the law. No law, hOweyeI
stringent, II left to itself, will DO the de
/ sired work