The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-07-26

traffic annually sends to prison 100 600 per-
sons; reduces 900, 900 children to state worse
than orphanage; sends 10000 annually to a
drunkard's grav., and makes 600 600 drunk
ards?
The following facts with respects to intem-
perance and crime were ascertained by the
Massachusetts Bureau Of Statistics Of Labor.
1t took up the county of Suffolk at the begin
ming Of the year 1880. ond ought by careful
investigation of al criminal cases brought be-
fore the courts to ascertain the connection be-
tween intoxicating drinks and crime in the five
following directions: ~ Whether the GRIM
inal was under the influence of liquor at the
time the crime was committed. (2.) Whether
the criminal was in liquor at the time he
formed the intent to commit the crime. 81
Whether the Incorporate habits of the criminal
were such as to lead to condition which in
duced the crime. (4.) Whether the intem-
perate habits of others led the criminal 10 a
condition which induced the crime. 81
What were the drinking habits of the criminal,
whether total abstainer, moderate drinker, or
excessive drinker. The result of the investi-
cation, as reported by agents appointed for the
nine criminal jurisdictions Of Suffolk county,
was the following: The total number of sen
fences for the year was I6 BOO, of these I2.2S9
were due directly to rum causes, the report
says, I2,22I being sentences for the various
grades of drunkenness. and 68 for keeping or
selling liquor without a license. OF the re-
naming 4,6oS cases, 2,o97 or IS per cent.
were committed by men under the influence of
liquor, 1913 by men who were in liquor at the
time of reformation Of the criminal intent.
In 1904 cases the incorporate hab-
its of the offenders were such as
to induce a moral condition favorable
to crime. and 82I were led to commit crime by
the example of Incorporate men. Of the
4,6o8 convictions, the to total abstainers num-
bered I,I58, the moderate drinkers 1913, and
the excessive drinkers I.2I7.
Had we lived, kind friends, in the age Of
Oedipus, what would we not have given to be
rid Of the terrible and hideous sphynx? The
monster rum is more hideous and terrible in
its effects and ravages than the then much
dreaded sphynx, for it not only blights the
happiness and prosperity Of nations, families
and individuals. but it also condemns the i'm
mortal soul to endless p rdi'ion, and eternal
misery; for God hath said that no drunkard
shall enter the kingdom of heaven. In the
face then Of all these facts, think you not that
we need christian teachers-men and women
who shall instruct us how to battle with AID
subdue this enemy and tyrant.
''What are we going to do, sweet friends,
In the year that is t. come,
To battle that fearful fenk of death,
Whose messenger is rum?
Shall we fold our arms and bid him pass,
As he has passed before,
Leaving his deadly poisoned draught
At every unbarr'd door?
What are we going to do, sweet friends,
Still wait for crime and pain,
Then bind the bruises, heal the wounds,
And soothe the woe again?
Let the fend still torture the weary wife,
Still poison the coming child,
Still burden the soul of the weary wife,
Still drive the husband wild!
Still bring to the grave the gray-haired sire,
Still martyr the brave young soul,
Till the waters of death like burning stream,
Ger the whole great nation roll /?
Till poverty take the place of wealth,
And sin. and crime, and shame,
Drag down to the very depths of hell,
The highest and proudest name"
Is this, dear friends, our mission on earth
Think you that our creation had no higher Or
nohler object for its attainment
Let us earnestly and sincerely pray that our
country be soon filled with true and active
christian teachers who shall take the lead in
bringing this national evil to an end. May We
soon hear the dea'h knell Of rum from over all
our land and NAV it be SO deeply buried that
there will never be the faintest possibility of
its resurrection.
o BE CONTINUED TOMORROW