New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-25
,,pgyLtIyG THrJR FOPCE&

The United States Brewers Association has
lately held It's annual convention at Rochester.
II dcrilrd 10 establish literary bureau, ana
IN offer orcanizad resistance to the hiGh-iccnsc
and other TEMPERANCE measures in agitation.
The advocates OF temperance were assaulted IN
q set of resolutions as "hyp0critcs," selfish
fanatics" and 50 forth. These resolutions
further contained statement which does not
appear % be- true. Ii is 70 the effect that the
ratio of insanity in this country caused by drihk
is ONLY seven per cent. We do not know where
these figures were obtained. hut we do know
that NuhallS Dictionary OF Statistics puts thc
rario of dipsOmana in the United states at
twcnty-six per cent. and makes this country
sccopd in fine list, Scotland alone exceeding us,
with record of twcnty-ciEht per cent. The
same authority gives the mean average OF
diDsomaniacs for England. France, Denmark
and the United States at fourteen per cent.
Now. if the percentage for this country alone Is
twcntv-six, instead of seven, as asserted Dy
the Brewers Association, it makes great
difference Mulhall puts the whole number OF
insane in the United States ut lGN,39o. Inns
would give about 80, 900 as the aggregate OF
dipsomaniacs in our asylums.
humanity has been killed by drink offers
sufficiently sombrc subject for thought. surely
those who think il duty to agtate for what
ever measures may prevent the increase OF TINS
army of lost souls deserve somewhat better
treatment than to be called "hypocrltcS'
selfish" and fanatics Is 1t lanailcal to
desire TO save the perShins? Is 1t selfish TO
wish that men should be prevented from drink
inc themselves into the asylum or the grave 7
Is it hypoclitical to point to the facts OF the
situation, to SHOW the enormous cNils Wmch
drink produces in modern society, and 10
demand that the reform of this gigantic ana
stronsly-entrcnchcda abuse shall be undertaken
The Brewers Association represents great
deal OF capital and energy and determinations
Let il DC frankly admitted that the brewers VINO
Lrlonr TO if may be men Of humane and generous
instincts and honest believers in the innocence
of the business they are engaged IN. NeNcr'h'-
less, they will have to meet the popular Schu-
mrnt which is growing on the subject OF intern
nrrancc bv more serious methods than Witt
peration or thcputting forth of bogus statistics.
The friends OF temperance are too weII-ln-
formed to be caught by such tricks, and the
facts of the situation are too serious to be
f'A'
other than n candid and honest way.
The evils of drink are assuredly not imagi-
nary evils, and those who are interested in up
holding the drink traffic are not acting senslbly
i'm trying to make it appear so. Every man
with common intelligence can see for himself
The real and widespread harm that drink Is do
ing continually. Who i, there, on the other
hand, that has ever succeeded in showing a per
contra fit to be put in the balance against this
mischiefl Yet that is what the drink traffic is
called on to do and if it cannot do this II 1t
cannot justify itself before the Nation, those
who are lighting most stubbornly Tor 1t may as
well recognize the handwriting on the wall
and make mp their minds that though conviction
may not be Instantly followed by sentence the
Judgment of the country is certain to be carried
ont eventually in the interests of progress and