Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-02-27
Temperance.
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

The devotees of alcohol sometimes
attempt to browbeat temperance peo-
pie by telling them to mind their own
business, and not interfere with some
thing that don't concern them. This
might be well said if the latter half
were true, if such things did not, in
some respect concern temperance men
and women, this "mind your own
business" should shut the mouths
and stop the efforts of all working for
the lettering of the inebriate's con-
dition, and his ultimate reform. But
it is the ''business" of the friends of
temperance to stay the tide of de-
struction swelling in the haunts of
inebriates, and pouring it's foul
stream of death into the midst of the
best circles of business and society.
Has not the father, whose young
son has been enticed into the gilded
saloon, and there taught to sip the
deceptive wines, the right to protest
against such practice, and warn the
vender of disguised death to desist
from dragging his son down to the
depths of misery and wretchedness?
Is it not the business Of the patient
and long suffering wife to work
against those who are influencing her
husband to lead a drunkard's life,
and reach a drunkard's grave? Is it
not the business of children whose
fathers take the means they should
employ to clothe and feed them, to
satiate their inhuman passion for
strong drink, to try to undermine and
overthrow the rum sellers vocation?
Is it not the business of such noble
men as Cough, whose lives came
near going out in their morning, in a
dark, bloody sunset of intemperance,
to give their eloquence, their money,
their time and lives in attempting to
lessen the hold on the people of the
abomination of denominations?
1t ill-becomes the rum seller, ply
ing his deadly trade, to rebuke with
"mind your own business those
whose duty and business it is to les
sen the temptations, which tend to
engulf humanity in the cess pool of
ruin. AS well may jeff. Davis ask
to be let alone, or burglar say to
the man whose house he was enter
ing, to lie still and not matter about
the little job he was about to under
take. AS well might the savage In
dams on the frontier protest against
the inhabitants they rob and massa-
ere, from interfering with their bust
ness.
When rum sellers invade society,
society has right to take up the
gauntlet and drive back the invaders.
When rum sellers throw fire brands
into communities, citizens have a
right to defend their homes and
friends from contamination from
them. If they would seek the caves
of mountains and avenues of forests
to ply this vocation, where none but
, thunder would be their customers
temperance men and women would
f probably not think it their "busi.
ness to interfere with the suicida
course. But when they faunt theil
banners of death in the faces of civ
ilized communities, it is the right
duty and business of those in the
r communities, so disposed not to hide
their lights under a bushel, but K
come out in the sunshine of heaven
: and do for the cause through smooth
e and rough, through sneers of enc
mics, and luke warmness of friends
T. till the rum demon shall cease to hol(
h his throne, and Stay myriads with hi
baneful wand.