The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-01-28
Progress Of the Temperance Cause.

There are signs in every direction
thvt the cause of temperance is making
progress. And the progress is not
wholly dependent on the well-known
forms of activity of its candidates, but
seems to be the result of the thinking
of the people in all parts of the country.
The indications of progress are not al
ways such as the most ardent friends Of
temperance will recognize as valid evil
dences of advancing interest in the
cause, nor are they always such as the
most liberal temperance man can re-
gard as satisfactory, If we consider
them as ultimate results. But taken as
mere ,signs of tendency of public
thought and conviction, we think they
should crafty all who hope for the
destruction of the curse ofintoxication.
OF course the victory of prohibition
in Kansas is gratifying to all temper
ance people, especially in view of the
fact that the fact that the measure has
been adopted by large majority of the
voters. But there are indications that
the South, as well as the East and the
West, is waking to the enormous evils
of intemperance and to the need of re-
form. Here is telegram from Rich
mond, Virginia, under date OF Decem-
Der 20:
ga meeting of Roman Catholic deal
ers in liquor was held last night in
Cathedral Hall, for the purpose Of TAX
ing action for the proper observance of
Sunday. Bishop Keane made power
full address in advocacy of the move
ment. Resolutions were adopted rec
ognizing the practice of selling and
drinking liquor on that day as viola
tons of the commandment of God and
the precept of the church, and pledge
promising not to sell drink to intoxica-
ted persons on the Lords Day, nor per-
nit it to be sold by those over whom
they had control, and to discountenance
the practice in others, were signed by
thirty liquor-dealers. Committees were
appointed to procure the signatures of
all Roman Catholics in the city engaged
in the business"
This has its aspect of both tragedy
and comedy: company of most christ
ian rumsellers passing resolutions about
the holiness of the Lords Day and re-
solving no. to sell liquor to intoxicated
persons on that particular day, and thus
virtually claiming the right to sell to in
toXicated persons as much as they can
on any other day Of the week, is spec
tacle for tears and also for laughter.
Nevertheless, it shows that the public
are thinking about the curse of the liz
nor traffic, and that even the conscience
of a Romish liquor-seller can be
aroused to at least whisper of remon-
STRANGE.
But there is something even better
than this from another Southern State.
The Boston Herald says:
"The South Carolina Legislature has
in its membership the present year as
radical a set of prohibitionists as are to
be found among the Representatives of
any New England State, and the pro-
ceedings in that body recently, regard
ing the enactment of law to regulate
the sale of intoxicating liquors, remind
one more of Maine or Massachusetts
than of Southern States. Although very
many of the aforesaid members are uni
ted in preferring absolute prohibition
to any other form of dealing with the
liquor question, they are, as usual in
such cases, divided as to how it shall be
brought about. On Thurs day last the
House passed through to second read
ing, by q vote of "a to "a, sort of CON-
promise bill which licenses the sale of
distilled alcoholic drinks, bitters, etc.,
throughout the state, compelling the
licensed party to pay such sum as may
be charged by the municipal authori.
ties, and at the same time an additional
500 into the county treasury, and max
ing free the sale of wines, malt LIQUORS
and cider. This is considered on the
ground as great victory of nti-whisk-
ey men, and an advance in the temper
ance cause in that region, although, as
a matter of course, ultra prohibitionists
were very.bitter that the sale ofdistilled
liquors should be allowed at ALL"
The resolution of the Richmond rum
sellers will not be apt TO effect any
great reformation in the habits of that
city, but its adoption indicates a state
OF sentiment in the better portion of the
citizens that may be expected to show
good fruits in the near future. The
half-and-half law of South Carolina
will probably be evaded by the rum
sellers of that state, but its pa ssage
shows that the State ia alive to great
issue, and we expect the failure of the
PiNoNhb law " DC lOllOWCu ny u law
that will not fail. On the whole, the
aspect of the horizon is most cheering.
Every sign of the times indicates that
as the questions which grew out of the
war are being settled, the great ques-
ton that is destined to take their place
in the thought of the country is the
question of temperance; and If we can
get our citizens to think of the cues
ton at all, we shall get them ito settle
it in the best manner. Men cannot
think about it without Indignation
with Indignation with the sellers of
RIM, and with their own stupidity and
criminality in permitting the sale of
rum. Nor can they think about it with
out considering the burdens they are
called on to bear, in the form of excess
in rum.-LWatchman.