The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-03-01
The Heaviest Clog on Progress.


Many people who pride themselves
on their practically are wont to sneel
at the opponents of the liquor traffic
as mere ''sentimentalists." No doubt
there is muLh sentiment in that oppo'
sition, but it is sentiment based upon
the hardest of facts. The truth is thai
ifall the other evils that afdict society
are put together they will not nearly
equal in weight and sinister effects
the one enormous and universal mis-
chief of fintemperance. Mr.. Matthew
Arnold holds that Philistinism, as he
calls it, is rampant in England and
the United States; but the truly hu'
initiating fact in regard to these Eng
disappearing people is their profuse
expenditures upon intoxicants, and
the place which the business Of sell
ing and making intoxicants occupies
in their national life. Americana
spend S3a0. .000. 1000 a year in this v III
and Englishmen even more in pro.
portion. Yet all legislative bodies in
both countries, and all journals, and
hundreds of societies. and associations,
are constantly engaged in discussing
remedies for evils not only of minor
Importance, but many if not most of
them the direct or indirect results of
this frightful waste of capital upon
degrading and demoralizing agents.
Here in New York. as the speakers
at Cooper Institute the other evening
one and all admitted, we have actu.
ally arrived at a local government
based upon the worst and most per-
nicious emanations of the liquor in
terest. We have come to be ruled in
accordance with the views of men
who derive all their power from their
success in rum-selling, and whose fol-
lowing largely consists of fthose whose
intelligence is babitually clouded by
the same poison. And because the
passion for rum is so strong among a
large proportion of the masses, every
effort to shake off this corrupt and
shameful despotism has hitherto fail
ed, and drunkenness and dishonesty
60 hand in hand, and laugh to scorn
every reform movement.
Ofwhat use lit to talk about power
ty, destitution, squaIor, misery, here
and there, when it is notorious that
tens of thousands are so enslaved by
vicious appetite as to be incapable
of helping themselves, Indifferent to
the nature of their surroundings, dead
to every progressive aspiration. How
can we reasonably complain of any
minor evils while this gigantic one
continues to hamper the Nations adj
vance at every step; while this vast
drain continues to carry off a capital,
one years application of which would
solve every social problem that per-
pleXes US? If this is not practical
question. then there is no such thing
as practicality. 1t is the one over
shadowing evil whose existence of
necessity prevents the success Of re-
form efforts in all other directions. 1t
is said that the condition of the work
ing classes is unsatisfactory, that they
do not prosper as they might; the
answer must be that they can never
utilize their opportunities until they
are freed from the curse of rum. II
it is said that our politics are corrupt,
trivial, mean, it must be assumed
that our politics are too deeply en-
tangled with the liquor traffic to be
other than what they are. If sani-
tary questions are concerned, rum
still stands in the way of improve
ment. If religious progress is dis.
cussed the fact remains that the sa-
looms empty the churches. If educa.
ton is considered, it Is notorious that
the same degrading agency seduces
thousands of our youth.
Wherever we turn, in short, we
encounter this subtle and sinister
agency. 1t is a blight which lies
heavy upon our civilization, and
which will have to be cleared away
before that civilization can become
an object of just pride and satisfac.
tion. And the question at issue really
is whether this great evil shall be
dealt with summarily. or shall be ap
preached by slow degrees. All SEN
sible men are agreed as to the neces
sity for getting rid of it, but opinions
differ as to the best method. Mean
time, it proceeds without the leas
misgiving or compunction, never
checking itself, giving full pay to al
its myriad influences, and opposing
to reform solid and brazen front
Its safety thus far has consisted in tht
want of harmony among Its Opp0
nents. This has given it time t
establish itself and grow strong. Blu
sooner or later ii will be necessary fO
the intelligent and progressive ele
ments of society to drop all lesser en-
farnris1., aud f.nfnIinn In Ano 1afar