The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-03
Temperance Reading.
10 Keep Men Temperate.

A German Temperance Society is
about to reformed, whose chief object
is to introduce into Berlin cheap. coffee |
tayerns, after the English pattern, for
the poorer classes. This is Well; they
have served a good purpose, and there
should he more of them here and ev-
/ ervwhere. , ...t.........,...
10 encourage Improvement in the
mode of living, so as to make the poor
more comfortable. is a long step toward
keeping them from intemperance! e3 N
1t is great, mistake to say that men
seek Intoxicating liquors because they
have an appetite for them. or because
they like the taste. Children eat candy
because they like it, not forlthe after
effects OF it. which, are often, very. dis
agreeable. Men seek liquor for the
sake ofithe effects that follow the use of
it. Some people do love beer, wine.
rum or brandy, etc, for its own sake;
they like the taste. of it; have an appe-
tite for it. But the most of drinkers
and drunkardss take Intoxicating liquor
because oflthe effects; because it makes
them feel good afterwards. There
are two stages after the drink, the first
of exhilaration when the topper feels
'happy,''N the second of stupefaetion
when he is insensibleI to the troiible
that oppressed him when sober. The
young man, not yet drunkard, takes
his glass to be excited, and the exhilara-
ton he feels in company after drinking
is the pleasure that appears to his silly
mind one of the great enioyments of
life. He is in fair way of becoming
a drunkard. But the evils of intern
perance are chiefly among the poor.
They drink because of the care and
hardness of life. Drink first excitesc
then stupefies. They feel better at first,
and then do notfeel at all.
This suggests the direction which
philanthropy should take in saving men
and women from intemperance. 1t is
good to preach Temperance; to convince
men that it is wisest and best to alb
stain; ply them with arguments, in
ducements and appeals, the more the
better; keep on with the old methods
and reform and save as many as posi-
BILE. But so long as human hearts re-
main as they are, the poor and anxious
and care-worn, oppressed with the load
OF toilsome and iil-requited life will
seek relief in the worst of all ways, by
miserable in the use of intoxicants.
The worn woman often becomes an
opium consumer Country druggists
keep it ready to hand out quie " to
farmers wives and daughters, who, be-
ing exhausted W tn overwork, seek
comfort in ntoxication with opium.
The poor generally prefer drink, intox-
icating drink. Then, the lesson we
learn is that as Christian philanthro-
pists wrought to meliorate the physical
condition OF the poor; make the cost
of living 'less;. increase their in
comes; brighten their dwellings;
improve their minds; give them
religious and intellectual enjoy
ments; meet their humble wants with
things convenient for them, and adapt
ed to their situation and gradually edu-
cate their tastes so that they shall love
and desire that which is clean and COM
Portable. NoW the miserable prefer
misery to the neat, tidy and healthful
circumstances of those who are better,
and also better off The destruction of
the poor is their poverty. The bad
love darkness rather than light dirt
more than cleanliness; they do not wish
to have better rooms, more light and
air, more health and sweetness. They
: must be saved somehow, but the way
to do it is not easy.
This is the problem that presents
! itself when we seek to make men tenn
perate, and to keep them so. 1t is hard,
but it is not impossible. What ought to
be done can be done, and the present
age is the only one in which we can do
our part of the work.-M. \. Observer.