The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-08-08
The Temperance Epidemic and Its Causes.
Tran. te I from the Wes,liche Post.

Tran. | tie 4 from the Wes,liche Post.
The immigrant Germans, particularly when
living in large place, cannot understand the
pie, much less explain the same.
The influence Ut the church, powerful as it
is in America, cannot be the only cause. as
i not all members of a church or the priests are
hypocrits, to the contrary we must say, that
the American on an average, in regard to his
church Is Still in earnest, amt that many Of the
most prominent Americans, shining churcl,
lights, are mott importance men.
How is it then that the American country
population Is so unanimous on this question.
On examining this country temperance fanatic
ism, the best and most honorable elements are
to be found among them, and at the same time
one or the other OF the village sinners can be
heard to say: ''Personally | have nothing
against the drinking, and | drink myself some
times when feel like it, but am against the
bar.rooms in this district or county, they ruin
our young men -
And his contains great deal of truth. In
well Pollced state, boys and minors are kept
ny the authorities away from bar-roOms; we
also have such laws, but they are very seldom
enforced.
The principal drink in our country bar
rooms is still whisky, and in most cases not
the best, as the farmer likes to get for little
money plenty stuff. In consequence. wher
on an evening or Sunday, the boys come to-
gether and take ride on horseback to tn
next country town and have 'tre,t' all
around; soon shell is to play" The young
fellow thinks the worse he shows himself oil
the higher he rises in the public estimation.
and so he lets his ''sorreP' run into the store,
and ruins everythng-,he old man is rich
enough and can pay for it. Or, he swings his
| revolvers in the air, shoots cows calves.
geese and sometimes, out of fun, kills some
body Finally they have a general row and
fighting, in which half dozen beat each
other sore and lame; the horses get hurt or
lost, and the young gentleman, even when he
brings his hide safely home. cann"t move for
several days from sheer exhaustion. Then the
old man comes to reflect: "That thing must
be stopped. the barroom must CO." and the
old lady, as we'll as the sisters and aunts VIII"
always were in state Of trembling and fear,
waiting at home, when Charley, John or Joe
went on a spree, they all support the old man
in his resolution.
This is the reason that our ,untry popula-
ton mainly incl'nes to temperance laws; AMI
those, who are in the country not favorng the
movement, are not such that the friends OF
personal liberty can pride themselves on
The old man however, even if at the election.
he worked and voted for Temperance, still
keeps at home a small keg or bottle, of which
the boys must not know anything; he prac
tees rather little hypocrisy, than that boys
ruin themselv-s drinking
Then often scenes will happen in such
family like the following: A happy German
,mmlgrated about thirty years ago and visited
his uncle in the neighborhood Of Lancaster.
Penn Instead Of the customary wine brought
on the richly laden Sunday table there was
only water pitcher. The German allowed
himself some remarks about it but was Gu
short with 1--WE are temperance, not drop OF
liquor can enter our house" Alter the din
ner the farmer retired to have his nap. the
girls went to the Sunday school, and the boys
into the barn. All at once the aunt called
the German cousin into the kithen where
she stealthily got a bottle of Kirschwasser
out of the safe and said: "Come, drink; my
old man is such strong temperance man l
must not let him know anything Of it," But
one will get bellyache sometimes.
Ten minu'es later the old man Ills the
cousin to his room, opens trunk, in which
rests four.gallon key. fills a tumbler and says:
"Drink heartily. even il we are temperance;
we do keep a good drop, but the Old woman
must n t know it,
After short while the guest went to the
stables, when he was taken hold of by the
boys, who took him to a dark corner and
pulled a bottle out Of the hay stack, saying:
"C"usin, drink: it is good Bourbon. but don't
tell the old man anything about it; heis crazy
old temperance man."
SO every body drinks by himself, but the
deCorum is safe.
That the country reverendS stir up 'hls
and the rity preachers assis, them
therein, is plain. Who does not 60 into the
bar-room will come to the church. they think |
then there is a class of politicians who use the
and within the sam, mostly |
achieve theil ends. Where so many different
causes work together, it is no wonder that an
epidemic breaks out.
Col. u. VI. Moore Set Right.
Col K. NJ. Moore, u. S. treasury agent, |
called upon us this morning to protest aga nst
the position we placed him in as a participant
at the third precinct primary. lie desires u
10 state that he does not wish to he considered
as friend or champion of John {. Manning,
against whose appointment his rrotes. is on
file at Washington, and in the next place he
does not wish to he ,nsidere1 As OppoSed To
The independent candidacy OF Governor
Davis.
We are glad to set the Colonel right. He
certainly happened get mt" very suspicious
company and was the victim of circumstances