The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-11
THE FOCNTAIN.HEAD OF EVIL.

THE FOUNTAIN.HEAD OF EVIL.
Recent exposures of municipal abuses
have emphasized the degradation and
corruption for which the government
of this city has long been notorious.
Our citizens smile grimly over cartoons
in the comic papers representing our To-
cal rulers rs a gang OF ruifianly rum
sellers, low-browed, heavy-iawed. igno-
rant. greedy. shameless in rapacity. The
influence of the saloon in politics is a
theme SO familiar as to be trite. Against
that influence efforts are beinS cOntin-
ually made to array the intelligence,
public spirit and conscience of the COM
mum ty. Temperance societies struggle
courageously with the gigantic evil of
drunkenness. Preachers denounce and
protest against it. But it shakes off all
the elements ranged against it, and con-
tinues to poison, debauch. brutalize all
who come in contact with it. The
truth is that the Nation has not vet
taken this tremendous evil with sutfi-
cient seriousness. The early advocates
of Temperance were looked upon as
bigOts and fanatics. Now the cause has
become respectable, but still popular
apathy prevails. RefOrmerS. both po-
litical and social, begin as 4 rule with
the secondary. instead of the primary
causes of corruption. To remove the
abuses which choke healthy progress in
all u large cities, it is necessary to do
more than change parties Or modify
governmental methods or shift respOn-
Sibilities. Municipal corruption. crime.
poverty, ignorance. immortality, all
flourish rankly because the people toll
crate Rum. At the bottom of nine
tenths Of all the evils from which mod
ern society suffers, this cause is to be
found.
1t is not confined to the lowest
classes. 1t weakens the purpose of
educated men. 1t pals es the energies
of benevolent men. 1t breeds allies for
the powers OF evil in almost unsuS-
pected quarters. 1t generates a spirit
of indifference which is a effective
against reform as active friendship for
intemperance. The i'll effects of drink
are known to all; noted by scarcely
any. The daily journal presents its
perennial records OF political abuses. of
the franchise marketed, OF venal ignO-
rance swapping enlightened patriotism.
of plundered treasures and systematic
official chicanery and theft. of private
defalcat;On and bankruptcy. ofmurderS
and assaults, OF divorce and desert:on,
of prOtli@acy. destitutiou. suffering and
shame in myriad forms. and behind
each and all these calamitieS and evil
deeds may be seen intemperance rs the
prime cause. 1t is everywhere. 1t
makes and mars in every relation of life.
1t pursues thousands from the cradle to
the grave. 1t re%inforceS every malign
influence and agency. 1t battles all eff
forts at better things. Yet the public
do not regard it as an enemy to be
fought with uncOmpromising and per-
siStt mt hostility: they even sometimes
seem to think that it is better to let it
alone altogether.
But there must be 4 much deeper and
more general realization of the neces-
sity for radical reform in this matter.
The popular conscience must be stirred
and reused through the popular intelli-
gence. IL is but 4 few DAYS since Il
body of rum-sellers in this State
solemniy and officially declared: THAT
as citizens and taxpayers we have in
common with our fellow-citiZens the
advancement of the interests OF the
whole people, These same men
further declared their business Ito be
legitimate and worthy of protection and
support These expressions show to
what extent of 3udacity. liberation and
indifference naturally lead. The pub
lie are required to support the men
who are yed in the most evil and
%cOrrupting and degrading occupation
the world has ever suffered from, and
it is impudentlv announced that the
advancement Of the interests of the
whole people" is sought by these VEN
doris of poison and manufacturers of
crime and ruin.
The National conscience, the COM
munity conscience. must, indeed. need
rou>inp. when such hardy iEsOlence and
brutal defiance of decent public opinion
passes almost unnOticed. Some influ-
ence stronger and more rapid in ITS OPP
GRAFTON than the slow process OF eyolu-
ton is REQUIRED to- set in motion effect
i've reform sentiment. Inc curse OF
modern civilization may else become lis {
DESTROYER before Il remedy Is applied Z
Let il be remembered that there can be |
pu true freedom with 8 venal and de- I
Graded franchise: that the best devised {
governmental institutions are useless I
" hen political corruption excludes from 4;
control the fittest members of the I
community: that it is futile to alternate /
churches with saloons, leaving the weak
est elements of society Mt the mercy Of .
the most powerful temptations--N. \.
Iribune. {
REPLYING to a correspondent recent I
", Mr.. Gladstone expressed the hope c
those specially interested in En- {
gliSh Temperance work would IRE I
- a., rof.r.pca IN II in the Dusnn': 4