The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-09-08
COURSE OF THE rEMpERANcE CAUSE.

The following sensible article Is taken from
that old aud reliable Republican journal, the
Lancaster, Pa, EramiHsr. Il IL full Of sound
argument and should be carefully read:
"Most reforms begin with fanatieism. Big
conversions preceded the harmony Of nature. The
gospel was spread by the sword and the church
established By the fanatieism Of her followers.
The hanging Of John Brown and Cook was the
first Act in a great tragedy. The abolition Of
slavery had is initial impulse in the work Of
fanatics. Chartist upheavals, Socialism, Mill
ISM Land Leaguism, are all enthusiastic, semi
fanatieal means TO an end. Fiery feeling arouses
attention and eniists sympathy, reason gamers
the results Of revolutions and directs their ends.
Religion and all moral questions were once mat
tiers Of feeling, now they more and more come
under the domain Of reason. The temperance
question illustrates this.
1.-THE old time fanatic had his day OF feeling
and he aroused attention 10 . universal evil. lie
was useful In his way, because all agitation leads
10 healthful results. Now he Is succeeded by the
ealmer man who Is properly directing the ten.
dency Of the temperance sentiment. The TEN
peranco people certainly can feel encouraged
about the course affairs are taking. The most
hopefu feature Of the situation In this country 10
the reasonable attitude assumed at present by
most temperance advocates towards the public
and towards one another. The day Of fanaticism
seems nearly over. The great majority OF thought
full men admit that the evils OF intemperance
which they deprccate cannot be suppressed by
Legislation, at least until public sentiment has
been educated up 10 that point; and that IL Is
worse than useless 10 have laws on the statute
hook, which arc not enforced. So they argue that
the prssent duty Of all true friends Of temperance
il 10 unite in an effort to create public senti-
ment strong enough 20 sustain the laws We already
have and In this way make u possible TO pass
Others more stringent. The experiment Of pro
hibition has been pretty fully tried. II iail-
ure, DESPITE the earnest protcstations TO the con
trary from such Eeaiots as General Neal Dow.
This failure l. acknowledged ~ the ablest OF
Temperance advocates-men like the Rev. DR.. u.
c, Porter, Mr.. Whittier. the Rev. DIR. Win. II.
Taylor, the Rev. DR.. II. W. Thomas. Of Chicago !;
ex-Goy. Long, Of Massachusetts, and 4. L. Bar
mum.
1.-THE wisest heads begin to see that proper
education Of the masses and . sensible regulation
Of the liquor traffic. and no, prohibition, arc work
ing the good that l. being accomplished. The
prohibitionists arc finding out that temperance
and politics should be kept separate. They IND
that the Democrats use them a. n tool and the
Republicans are irritated that what their party
has done for temperance Is not more properly
recognized. Between the two stools. therefore
the Total Abstainers fall 10 the ground. III they
would abstain from politics as severely as they
abstain from liquor, they would be more worthy
Of respect and more likely 20 succeed. THIS the
logic Of events IL teaching. The temperance tight
in the West has changed FROM fanatical prohibit
ton TO reasonable regulation. High license -
the aim Of reiormers now and II seems to Work
we'll. A temperance party, rs distinct ofesnl'
ration, IL Of no avail in our day. The parapher-
MALTA Of the Good Templar's Lodge did very well
in the emotional days Of temperance agitation
but now We learn that Law cannot force morality
down q mans throat and 50 prohibition - not
urged. A party for this purpose Is not necied