Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-01
na,, to rremote Temperance

L- YORK journal of Commerce..
s sr'and has sent us a project for the
a--3lti- alton of a. juvenile grand army of
.4afa-ai Hers. with a view of suppressing the
evils ct nteIsperauce His plan Is to en-
re. Size Young boys in semi-military or
-a-i alton. with gay uniforms and a
a4-G5 90 give them the excitement of
J-i.,iC-. marching and elaborate decOra-
lions. and thus TO make the principle of
total lstinence attractive. His theory
is tLat such an organization with its show
ANA glitter and banners and music will
WORK suCn the juvenile mind and bring
al the Young boys into the temperance
ranks. lie asks our aid To raise a fund
J1 carry out his invention. and Is quite
enthusiastic IN his belieGthat II will be
the saving of thousands from a drunk
ards doom.
It appears to as that he understands
neither human nature nor the character
az JnE evils idU seeks TO remove. Suppos
that he eulists ten Thousand he.-- - his
army. alOrns them with q becoming uni
form. fersuades them to attend weekly
f-l- and marches them up and down
tur streets. beneath snowy banner,
o. bib. sound OF martial music. Is there
.-t-tl.v- in the enlistment. the
dri.- ,he attire or the march that
viii prevent one 0fthese boys from becom-
u- drunkard: Il is true they may "a
',a.. 0..t Of the eUOg-shOp for the time tt-
ind zl-rough tn ccnyiVill assembly. tie
exciting s1ciatiOns and the separation
nom nome are not always the best
raa-ra-S TO guard a Young man from the
teur.a-ion to visit liquor saloon. They
may I'm be pledged TO total abstinence,
ana III : NAV be a condition Of the enlist
wa But not one. nor all OF these. IL
seems. will do anything to cure the evil.
-r..uc man Of twenty VINO has drilled
o.. cars in grand temperance army,
has worn the glittering uniform 10 MS
hearts content. and has carried the gOr-
r.au- -.9nuer through our streets amid
-r. inc thousands who were attracted
r.-a. sDectacle. is quite a. likely. To say
- 10 develop deprayed taste for
i--.a3ting drinks as one who has grown
Ur u15.r the less attractive influences oil
a-i-- home IN plain clothes, with no
ku6wIa.Ize of military eyolutions and no
rc-.ssaved VOW of total abstinence.
Il lIreu may be attracted to sunday
school lv the music, the class banners
the magic lanterns. the summer picnlcs
ana tl4 Christmas festivals; but not one
Of the-s attractions Will do anything 10
reform The character nor amend the lie.
Ii ir-aupprauce came from the want OF
kucyyIed.e. and children could not be
brorrr- within reach Of the desired in
formation unless allured by banners and
muse and drill and uniform, there would
De III least a plausible excuse Tor enroll
iu- -hl rising generation IN an orSanlZi-
ton Presenting these Inducements TO thc
voutr..ll mind.
BIZ intemperaHce springs not from
ignorance. but from a want of established
..ogt Principles and correct habits rem
uar4ss.a j. the mastery of self, and this
victory is not aided 10y uniform and
martial music. The whole teaching Oh
the t1tal abstinence leaders on TINS SUB
joc1 we believe to be absolutely mlslead-
ING an vicious. They insist that drunken
ness = a disease instead ola vice. needing
medicine and not punishment. that il Is
Lev1nf self-restraint, and calls for pity
rather than censdre.
An hours faithful teaching at father
side or a mothers knee on this subject Is
worth more than year drli IN Srahu
temperance army. drunkenness Is a
crime against the laws Of man and sin
i'm the sight of Divine justice. Seli-denlal
and 1aIf-reStraint are the only safeguard,
and are 10 be wrought into the character
bv wears of discipline i'm the home ana me
Divine inspiration that renews and moulds
THE -rIe life.
Ia 1,tr Judgment It is not wise to remove
an ~-5.lulants from the sight of the boy,
and Cd bring him up without the posi-
li,5fg 81 his tasting them. There was a
Theory OF training which insisted that
ri1h-5 ausness was to DE gained only by
.ec.--.1n from wicked world. That has
been Epl0ded by experience. Character
Is t~-- tlI>hed only by trial and resistance
o. evil TEMPERANCE is not total ahStl-
ucu--. but the moderate and judicious
U9 q whatever is at any time necessary
or beneficial. We would place light
wines and malt liquors within reach OF
children and teach them temperance ana
~eII-resrraint in their presence. Alter
more than sixty years experience we
have The right to say that in our judy
ueat there is not word Of truth in the
theory that such an exhibition and use of
mia stimulants under proper training
ever leads a child TO drunkenness. The
Gree, IS directly contrary 10 this. Tenn
utr.r.a IS an established habit, and Is
promoted and encouraged by the oppOr-
tUGi-v ID make. if desired. moderate use
VI such beverages as are not IN all cases
Wholesome. Children brought up at a
table where such indulgence Is possible
and properly trained. grow into habits o.
~ .-restraiut and are far less likely TO be-
come druukards than those who have been
carefully kept from all stimulants, and
wholly forbidden their use.
This we believe TO be true temperance
training. Children do not care for stimu-
.ac-S- and without word Of parental re-
>--ali they will seldom indulge. II the
opportunity is not denied them, and the
cup leld up as a forbidden luxury
Pleasant but dangerous. Nhenthe friends
"t importance viii admit that there are
Wholesome stimulants: and that there
may Pc q reasonable and moderate use OF
iil. &C least for persons of mature age
$500. mat children are less liable TO develop
ID unnatural thirst for them If rendered
+ill--ar with their use and trained %
habits Of seli-restraint in their presence,
we believe there will be laid the true
foundation Of temperance reformation.