West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-07-25
WEST VIRGINIA FREEMAN.
THE SITUATION.
THE TEMPERANCE REVOLT
TION.
How the Universal Revolt is Gath
ering for the Crisis.

Pittsburgh Christian Advocate, we
clip the conclusion as follows:
/. The conviction has become so
widespread that it is scarcely an
abuse of language to say it is uni
versal, that something must be
done to save the race from alcohol
ism. Its ravages are seen to cover
the face of the earth with the same
destructive results in every land.
The wide diffusion Of knowledge
and the intimate acquaintance
which commerce has given us of
the condition OF remote lands, as
sures US that its effects are every
where the same, and are not con
fined to any nation or people.
II. These effects are unchange-
able. They are pauperism, crime,
full jails, over crowded prisons,
domestic wretchedness, divorces,
imbecilities, high taxation, brutal
ties, insecurity of life and proper
ty, rowdyism, RIGHTEOUSNESS, every
social and political evil that threat.
ems the most stable governments
and plots against the welfare of
society at every point. The pub
lie mind is satisfied upon this
point. Observations made over
the whole world, the most reliable
statistics, have forced this convic-
ton upon even the most apathetic.
Throughout Europe and America
measures more or less stringent are
maturing for restricting the ruin,
nowhere concealed, that comes
from intemperance. And even
India, the far East, is imploring
help to emancipate herself from
drunkenness. The trend of the
world is toward temperance.
Iii. Nowhere, however, is the
manifestation of this fact so appar-
ent as in our own country. The
resolution is firm, infexible, to
stay the floods of vice and crime
which are the unavoidable associ-
-ates of the traffic in intoxicating
drinks. Maine in the east, with
Kansas and Iowa in the west, and
now Ohio and West Virginia be-
tween the two, with Michigan in
the north and Texas in the south
west, are but indicators of the
sweep and strength of the current
which is setting in towards tenn
perance even in its most efficient
form, that Of prohibition. To act
under such circumstances is COM
paratively easy, to act unwisely is
defeat: intelligent action is victo-
ry.
", Take the state of the con-
tention in Ohio us illustrating
what obtains more or less fully
throughout the entire country.
Since the decision of the Supreme
Court as to the Scott law, the ques-
ton for all the friends of temper
ance is so simplifed that all debate
as to what ballot to cast should be
look ed upon as closed. There is
but one thing left to be done, but
one that needs to be done. That
is to put prohibition into the
organic law of the State. The op-
portunity is now offered for the
first time, if our memory serves us
right, to accomplish this great
end. 1t requires no sacrifice Of
party fealty, no violating of poIiti
cal fellowships, no separation from
political associates to cast vote
for prohibition. A great moral
question that strikes its roots into
the very foundations of society can
b. decided without antagonizing a
solitary political principle which
either party dare avow as distinc-
tive in its creed. Every friend of
morality and virtue, every enemy
of disorder and crime, can cast his
vote for the proposed amendment
aid at the same time support his
f4torite candidate and act in har-
nIony with his party. This is a
most favorable fact, Of which the
leaders Of temperance should avail
themselves to their utmost. Keep
the question above party politics,
V. The state Of the public mind
is more unfriendly to the represen-
tatives of the whisky interest than
it has been for years. They have
shown themselves as thoroughly
1,.NotriDt;o nrJ nn,,s,,,,,aJ Wit n