The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-12

| ing more temperate. Drunkenness Id not go
fruitful source of misery and crime as it has
been. Education is enabling the working
classes TO overcome their passion for drink, is
giving them mastery over themselves and is
eking out the homciy virtue of soberness with
the common sense of thrift
The popular interest which is felt in the
cause OF temperance is evinced simultaneously
in religious. social and political circles. Among
the Non -conformists the agitation has long been
carried Oh witAssseal and within the establish
ment itself, the work has assumed the proper
tons OF genuine religious 1evIyal The re-
turns from the various ttioceses read at the an
naat m9s53nG OF the Church OF England Tenn
peianee%4Eaety a fortnight ago registered
Iotat membership Of Hit, ga, including So U0u
IN the navy and merchant service and large
number of railway employees. The work al
ready involves annual outlay OF $4,000
ana is eulisting the aid and announcement of
a large L6dy OI the clergy Indeed 30 remark
able are the results OF the NOV enient that the
archbishop of Canterbury, instead of striving
10 awaken zeal, deems IL necessary to fepress
lndlscreet ardof by warning the society that
success must not lead TO fanatlcism. Outside
the religious organizations interest has been
manifested by all classes of English society. A
fortnight ago an arlstocratic temperance meet
ing was hei / a q ord house, the palatial
residence OF the duke of Sutherland, and the
duchess herself set the fashion for the great
houses by detklng herself with the blue rib
bon Distinguished earis testitisd to the phys
ical benefits which they had derived from en-
tire abstinence from alcohol; orators with his
torlc titles presented c0gent arguments for the
adhesion OF blue blood to the principles OF
temperance; and at the close of the proceed
lngs patflcians of both sexes signed the pledge
and formally enlisted IN the cause of social
regeneration. The aristocratic class rs natur-
ably the last to feel the influence of popular
movement. Throughout tue country coffee
palaces have multiplied, local option resolu-
uous have been passed, Sunday CLOSING move
ments have been organized, and enthusiastic
temperance meetings have been held. 1t is a
popular uprising
"A popular question is inevitably a political
question Slf Wlifrld Lawson, after being de
spIsed as frantic and tolerated on the floor of
the house of commons only because he had
glotesque hnlnor, is now pfomoted'to the dig
nltY OF leading representative of public cauaa
Year after year his resolutions In favor OF local
option were introduced, but not until $50 were
they considered seriously. Then it was that
the house registered it's opinion that the people
ought to have the power of protecting them
selves from intemperance, This resolution waa
subsequently reaItirmed and a fortnight ago by
decisive majority OF 81 the house declared
that the best interests of the nation urgently
require some efficient measure of legislation 10y
which legal power of restraining the Issue or
renewal of licenses for the sale of Intoxicating
liquors may be placed in tho hands of the in
habltants themselves. The government on this
occasion accepted Sir Wilfrid Lawson's resolu-
ton ia principle, while resarvIng to themselves
the right IN future legislation of carrying it into
cnect IN their own way AS the home secre
tary defined the position of the ministry, they
voted for giving this power into the hands OF
those who were vitality Interested, namely, the
people cot :the locality, but ieft themselves
Tree 10 pronounce how the opinion of the PEG
pie should be ascertained and exercised This
is n long way III advance of previous paTl4-
mentary debates. The time seems to be APP
preaching when temperance will be not only |
popular agitation and Il radical hobby bnt. a |
government question To be announced in the |
queens speech and debated ia earnest on the |
floor as a party issue. Public sentiment is be- |
hind it and it is vital question in English |