Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-09
Hon. Carl Schnrz,s Letter.

SAVANNAH, GA, Feb. S.-EditOr Morn
iRg NelrS: The letter of Hon. Carl
Schurz in the News of this morning is
one that l read with deepest interest
From purely patriotic point of view, it
appeals to the calm consideration of every
good citizen among us. That the impress
siOns expressed by him are largely held
by representative men of the North is
more or less true, and any friendly, nOn-
partisan consideration of them can but
prove beneficial to both sections. There
is an old saying that "a friend
will tell you of your faults" and we can
consider Mr.. Schurz a friend, on his own
statement and from the manifest fairness
with which he discusses the question
under consideration. If a portion of the
citizens of our common country regard us
in a certain light, we gain nothing by at
tempting ridicule as means of disabus-
ing their minds of an honest belief; but it
behOOyes us the rather to examine the
'scharges" fairly, and thus show our mis-
taken p friends that, if addicted to evils
of any class or kind, we are none the less
using all possible efforts to correct them.
But is this the case? Are we in reality
doing what, we can dO-nOt what we
shOuld-tO bring about a healthier public
sentiment for the prevention of crime
among us? Undoubtedly Mr.. SchurZ re-
cOgniZes the fact, as you do, that the
grandest lever in this direction is the
press for we all know that whenever and
wherever the press honestly labOrs for
the enlightenment of public = senti-
ment that the public are not slow to
respond. Now, in all honesty and sim
cerity, and without any desire to bring
into this discussion a question not prop
erly pertaining to it, may ask, Mr.. Edi-
tor, what the press is doing to direct pub
lie attention to one great, prolific, univer-
sal, ,inciting cause observation-disclosures of
May we not find in this, more than in
aught else. the sources of the evil of which
Mr.. Schurz complainss If so, we can
never stop the current while the fountain
still flows. We cannot prevent an effect
while the cause is untouched. We
cannot hope to remedy an evil
while the source is ignored or
protected bypublic sentiment, 1t is fact
which no unbiased person can gainsay,
that at least three-fOurths of all crime has
its origin or immediate cause in drink;
and the particular crimes of which Mr..
SchurZ complains, more than all others
among our people, may thus find their
readiest solution. By this l do not mean
that our people drink more than others,
but Mr.. Schurz writes of crime that seems
specially existing among the better
classes, or, as he expresses 1t, the
deed was done by man ''greatly
respected by his neighbcrs," or "a
citizen of prominence" etc. This class
of crime among us and this is the kind
YOU call upon your brethren of the press
to help YOU in remedying) finds larger
percentage of causation in drink than the
rest. If this be true, is not the remedy
other than what either you or Mr.. Schurz
suggests! leave the question with you
and your brethren of the press, hoping
that while endeavOring to lessen this evil
you will also remember It's prime cause.
as it so clearly appears to me, and help in
the work of removing it.
y. T. THOMPSON.