New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-27
SocJyTy VD THE SILICON.

Two significant episodes occurred on the same
day in this city within the past week y speaker
addressed a meeting Of liquor dealers, and told
them that saloons are a benefit to the COM
muuity." and said that The temperance move
mont yvas" scheme of the rich TO crush the
moor" Elsewhere the agents OF the Society Tor
tbc Prevention of Cruelty to Children were
rescuipg the helpless littlc ones Of tTo families
from the neglect of drCnkcn mothers. feiiapS
II i ouIy TO audiences of liquor dealers that any
speaker would venture the assertions ABOVE
cited would claim for the agency that dcgrades
even maternity the character OF benefit. Ter
hans if is only before such an audience that any
speaker would describe The Temperance move
ment as a scheme Of the rich 20 crush the poor.
Tocu,h the poor. Ask the poor, bloated wretch
whose constituencies appetite has broken up
his home, killed his wife, sent his children
adrift. alicnated his friends, destroyed his OPP
nortunitcs. blasted his existence. If he believes
This. Ask the haggard wife of the drinking
artisan, as she strives, at the risk OF brutal
usage. to secure from the weeks wages which
he has destined to the saloon some plttdnce
yybcrcwith to keep the life in her furnished chill
drcn and her wretchcd self. Ask the stunted
| bovs and girls whose parents swlIl away their
humanity over stale beer IN tencmcnt-houscs II
they thiul, a movement which is TO obtain for
them the unknown blessing of tender treatment
i q scheme Of the rich against the poor. Ask
the thousands who in many devious ways have
drink themselves to ruin and shame and physi'
! cal. mental and moral wreck II the saloons are
benefit to the community.
When vice and degradation, immortality ana
,l,,, itx--- al =
earthly. sensual, deylish-is recognized Is
bcpcfcent then, and then alone, Will the clam
mt forward for the saloons be recognized as
valid. When the interests Of the poor are seen
TO consist in the pclpetuatiOn OF poverty, III the
Hacking of every avenue Of escape from squalol
and abirct Indulgence, in the propagation OF AL
/ foul and filthy habits and tendencies, in the cX-
tinction of shame and dccency, in the glOriica-
fion of sottishness and sclf-indulgcnce, then
and then alone, will the admissible to say that
fine TEMPERANCE movement is Il scheme OF the
rich to crush the poor
The saloon is an institution which makes the
moor noorcr continually If only half the annual
expenditure of the wagc-carning classes upon
drink were saved, the elevation of those clasSe'
would proceed by leaps and bounds Inc
saloon. however is ever lying in wait for the
veal, or the social wagc-earner In this grea
city. ON any of the main avenues he canno
walk block without passing mandatory
misery. At every turn the puryeyor Of drinl
cnticcs him, gets between him and his family
L,tve,n him and his manhood, between hin
and his happiness. The pervading influence 0
rum pursucs the slaves OF appetite increasingly
and makes their lives constant struggle or
succession of disastrous falls.
This subtle prevalent influence is the bitter
; est curse that rests upon modern civilization
and il will destroy civilization if it is not itScl
p DESTROYED. For the discomfort, the anaIchl
tendencies. the sedit0us doctrines, the danger
ous dispositions that are manifesting i'll centre
Of population, together with the vices of al
ministration which alarm the thoughtful, an
+ the difficulties in the way of reform which ar
I dine ia the mtractability of the material deal
5 with-all have their spring and origin III tina
= habit of drinking. that potent drink influence
D which battles the enthusiasm of the rcformc
and laughs to scorn the appeals of religion, {
reason and of sclf-rcspcct. This evil intlucnC
il degrading and brutalizing society, and pre-
j oress will be slow and unsatisfactory until
n public opinion is formed which refuses to paIt'
with the abuse longer.
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= THE ARNOLD MYSTERIES
n A., Il al tLo coda and littlo fish