The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-06-05
The Temperance Cause.

Those who are careful readers of current
news cannot have failed to observe that
there is now more activity among the
temperance people of the United States
than at any time within the history Of our
country. The churches of the various
denominations are taking deep interest
in the subject, and the Conferences, Syn
DDS and Conventions are moving with a
steady determination and earnest conser-
vatism that means business. Not only the
religious organizations, but secular bodies,
the press, and the people in their indiyid-
ual capacity, are giving the cause Of tenn
perance unusual prominence and directing
argument and influence to arrest the
strides of intemperance. On the 23d a
paper was read in the Presbyterian Cen
eral Assembly in session at Saratoga, New
York, which presents some interesting
figures, that it will be well for the gem
eral reader to study. 1t is stated in this
paper that the liquor traffic pays in taxes
to the United States government $S1 $780,
39O.Ol annually, in addition to all munich
pal and State taxes that the consumption
last year of distilled spirits was 6,7e2, 1853
proof gallons; malt liquors, 552, ,654
gallons wines, estimated. 25,885. 1872 gal
Ions that the beverage cost the consul
mers, annually, not less than eight hun
dred and thirteen millions of dollars, and
that there are 206,944 persons who hold
permits from the United States govern
ment to engage in this business. These
are the principals, and if their assistants
are included there would be one person in
every one hundred inhabitants who is en-
gagged in the liquor business, whereas of
those persons whose vocation or business
is helpful to society there are, of clergy
men only 64,69s; Of physicians, and sur
geons, 1851 Of teachers and scientific
persons. 227, ITO of dealers in produce and
provisions, 1923. The paper quoted Hon.
Judge Davis, Of New York, who recently
said, 'that twenty years. experience as a
judge has taught him that of all causes of
misery, restitution, crime and death in
toxicating liquors stood forth the unap-
proachable chief, and then shows that the
moral and well-to-do people of the country
pay in taxes annually upward of $ls ,OOO,-
600 simply for the care OF criminals and
their confinement in county and State
prisons, and more than SIS, 600, 900 for the
support of the poor, large portion of
whom are impoverished by rum"
The Committee which prepared this re-
port finds, after careful examination, that
the laws of the several States affecting the
traffic in liquors, are better than is their
enforcement, and concludes that the peo-
pie are responsible for the lax administra-
ton of the statutes in this respect. There
are laws against selling whiskey on Sun
day, or to minors, but they are ffagrantly
violated. There are inhibitions to SELL
ing to drunkards, to person already I'M
der the influence of liquor, but they are
not enforced. Prohibition is the law in
the States of Maine, New Hampshire and
Vermont, and constitutional prohibition
exists in Kansas and Iowa. There are
modified or partial prohibitory laws in
Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland,
West Virginia. North Carolina, South
Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tex
as, Colorado, Missouri, Minnesota, Hi
nois and Nebraska. In some of the States
prohibition is effected in counties, through
local option, and in others license is re-
stricted by the imposition of high tax.
There is more volume and purpose in
the general movement in behalf of temper
ance than at any time Jim the past, which
may be properly traceable to the work
of the Woman's Christians Temperance
Union. Added to this is the deep concern
manifested by the churches and the growth
of the Good Templars, showing that pow
erful agencies and organizations have
enlisted for determined and universal
crusade against the great evil. 1t is
cause that should enlist the earnest en-
deavors of every father and mother in the
land and the agitation kept up until the
reproach which has been cast upon our
country that America is a nation of
drunkards' is removed