The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-03-29
LETTERS FRGM ITOPIA.-1O 6.
MOREvII.LE. UTOPIA,
March 26 1899,

March 26. 1893.
SIR THOMAS MORE:
Wy Urn' ihmi- My las. letter was
devoted to the benefccnt effects of the
extension of education among the people.
But my statements, though really true,
were nevertheless, unfair, because omit
ted TO mention the handmade or the
twin sister, whose accompanying pres.
cncc gives to education all her power for
good. Educated vice is simply vice en-
ducd with fearful power for harm and,
if the promotion Of public morals had
not kept pace with the dissemination of
public intelligence. the money spent in
education would better have heen hoard.
ed in the public treasury.
Enter,aing these views, many Of our
best citizens looked with alarm and op.
position upon the educational plans OF
the government, because they supposed
that the suppression of vice, except an
to the punishment Of crime, lay beyond
the province Of the law After patient
and earnest study of this difficult prob.
lem, it was ascertained that about nine.
'enths Of the crimes brought for trial
before the Courts were directly traceab!e
to the immoderate use Of ardent spirits
II was argued thercirom that this bcvcr-
age tended to foster vice in somewhat
similar proportion.
It's tendency was found to be To de
throne reason; to incapacitate for rclia.
bic work, whether manual or mental to
make its victim pctulant, quarrclsome,
unmanageable. dangerous; to blunt the
finer sensihi|ities Of the heart 40 az 10
induce loving husband to maltrcat a
faithful wife and fond iutler 10 neglect
aud abuse his inonensive children: to
STIR up strife an"nf; near nsighHU!s, and
disturb the peace oi whole communities
to stimulate to deeds of dishonesty, indie.
cency, violence, and death and al! this
at such cost ~ to bring thousands OF
wealthy men to bankruptcy, and humber
citizens 10 penury and starvation. These
evils, enormous, incalculable, not com
pensated by any corresponding benefits
continued to grow and spread among our
people, until there was hardly house
hold in the land entirely free from the
dire influence of the demon of drink.
Suddenly and almost simultaneously
our people determined that, If this mon
s,cr evil were abolished, and universal
sobriety could bo attained, prosperity
and peace would dwell in al our borders
and vice and crime would hide their ugly
heads. The Constitution Of the Utopia
government was amended by adopting
an Article entirely prohibiting the man
facture or sale Of ardent spirits as a bev.
erage in the nation. What little is
needed in medicine and the arto is manu-,
facturcd and sold by government agents
under well devised regulations 30 strin.
gent that tho indiscriminate use of spirits
~ beverage is virtually an impossibili
ty.
Since the adoption Of this amend.
inent, the whole face of society il
changed. Villages in which the air was
filled with oaths and obscenity, are
new attractive resorts for the virtuoui
aud pure. Houses where the anxious
wife and children dreaded night be-
cause it brought the drunken husha ID
home, now shelter inmates happy in the
exercise of mutual love. Jails and asy,
lums once crowded with unhappy
victims are sls::ost always empty now
Millions of dollars that would have been
spent for rum are now employed il
remunerative enterprises, or devoted by
benevolent contributors to the genera
good. Railroads, factories, Libraries
colleges, churches. spring up like magic
and hourished e.oryThere. All thai
dignitics and ennobles humanity thrive,
and abounds throughout our happy land
This change was not accomplished
without intensest opposition. What wa,
known as the liquor interest had grown
to immense proportions. Many million,
Of dollars were invested, and many thou
sand men were engaged, il he nsna!ssc
ture and sale Of the various kinds o
Intoxicating beverages. To give uE
their business very naturally seemed t
them to be disastrous; and they usec
every practicable effort to prevent tn,
amendment to the Constitution. But
after they were defeated, and the chang,
took place in the condition of affairs
they soon found that they could tur,
their capital into other channels equal,
remunerative, more pleasant to them
selves, and not injurious to society a
large. And 30, the most of them arc no
only reconciled to the change but actu
ally glad that it has been effected.
| remain, as ever,
| Your nephew,
T. MORE, Jr.
| Death OF Postmaster EeneraI Uor7o