Los Angeles daily herald., 1884-11-27
he Temp,ra.e About II

Judging Dy its issue Oh luesuay our
esteemed contemporary the Erening
Express seems to be anxious to take
the fanatical attitude on temperance,
so-called, formerly filed with such
grace and aplomb by our other es-
teemed contemporary the Times. The
latter journal, published in vine
growing region, has not found the
role profitable enough TO run II as a
steady business. The truth is that,
in discussing topic Of this kind, IL il
necessary, to employ the language of
DIR. Samuel Johnson, to "clear your
mind Of cant" A very Incorporate,
pragmatical and in some instances
fanatical class Of people, have taken
possession Of the word Temperance,
and they have wrested IL out of all re-
semblance to its legitimate meaning.
They have violated its very generic
Significance. All photographers, hay
ing regard to the root OF the word, rs
does Webster, define temperance TO
be "habitual moderation in regard to
the indulgence of the natural appe-
tites and passions restrained or
moderate indulgence The people
who have employed this much abused
word to mean total abstinence show
that they do not understand even its
most oblique significance. When our
esteemed evening contemporary here
after scissors a whole column of
matter to do service as an editorial in
the extreme southwestern corner of
the United States it ought to
scrutinize its contents a little more
intentively, and not allow its columns
to be made the medium OF very
incorporate denunciation of all
alcoholic Indulgence, however mod
crate and temperate it may be.
As a matter of fact, we are never
beguiled into reading one OF these
Incorporate screeds without having
our attention called to the truth that
nearly all the strong, long-lived
people of this earth are temperate
consumers OF malt and alcoholic
liquors. The robust mortimer and
the unsurpassed races of the British
isles have from time immemorial
been drinkers of both beverages.
The nectar quaiied by the Gods on
High Olympus and the mighty mead
drank by the Scandinavian Deities in
Walhalla would come under the
ban OF the Graham bread dyspeptics
Of the United States. Notwith-
standing all the rawlings of
this tribe, however, no mortal
beings exceed in longevity the drink
ers Of the light wines of France, while
Highland Gillie who drains his
beacon Of usquebaugh only dies from
mere WEAKNESS of living. He only
shuffies off this mortal coil when he
is ennuyee as to life.
As throwing some little light on this
aspect of the question we take the
following from the editorial notes OF
Sundays Chronicle:
The interesting question whether
Prince Bismark drinks more beer
than wine has been settled by two
Prussians residing in Warsaw, who
staked 100 roubles each, and in order
to settle their difference addressed
the Iron Chancellor on the subject.
They received the following reply
from the Princes secretary ellis
Highness directs me to inform you
that you are both right, inasmuch as
he is equally fond OF good wine and
good beer, and, with the exception of
his sick days, partakes of one as well
2s the other"
1t must be borne in mind that Prince
Bismarck is to-day approaching his
seventy-second year, and that during
his whole life he has been what to
some feeble dyspeptics would appear
to be an appalling consumer OF liquid
good things. His imperial friend, the
Emperor Wilhelm, has been CON
sistent though never an Incorporate
drinker From an itinerary of his
daily habits, which we read some
years ago, we CLEANED that
during the course OF the day he
managed to get away with about
pint of cognac, which assimilates
perfectly in his well nourished
physique. The Emperor's crony,
Field Marshal Won Wrangel, who
died some years ago at the youthful
age OF ninety-eight, could toss off
beaker of beer or pony OF brandy
with II grace which would make the
head of weak minded American tee
totaller giddy.
No We say fearlessly to our vine
yardists and vignerons, go on with
your good work. Give the people
something to make them cool in
summer and warm in winter-some-
thing that will give them Drawn,
brain, dash and longevity. And to
the fanatics we say, "Clear your
minds of cant.
One of the marked peculiarties OF
Southern California journalism has