San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-04-03
Tcmnerance not Abstinence,

Temperance not Abstinence
EpIroR FaEE PREss ;-You will find
men every whore who strenouslJ
oppose all societies, organizations Oh
even laws whose object is to restrict,
or in any way control the use oil
ardent spirits Us beverage
This class OF men almost invariably
bring forward as their climax arga'
ment, that temperance does not mean
abstinence, or Us we some times say,
total abstinence. Well, TO take u
narrow, or isolated view Of it, it does
not convey that meaning Ii we
view tho word temperance as connec-
ted only with ono solitary thought,
then it does not convey to tho mlnd
the idea of total abstinence. But to
take q more broad and general view
Of its meaning, it docs mean total
abstinence from great many things,
and one of those things is whisky.
The above proposition 1 now intend
to undertake to conclusively prove.
All of our natural wants should be
tempcrately gratifed. Every thing
that is necessary to tho health,
strength, growth, or development OF
either body, or mind should DO par
taken of temporarily. But now for
the main argument. We are com
handed in holy writ to 'to be tenn
perate in all things"
The above covers q good deal OF
ground; in fact il covers oil tho
ground To DO temperate in all
things, we must be temperately
minded. And to do this we must
wisely control the passions and
desires of both body and mind, in
other words,we must limit our wants,
circumscribe our desires, and keep
our passions in due bQunds.
Now to do this every thing that is
not necessary to our own good or
the good Of our families, of those
with whom We are surrounded, or
that is not good, or necessary to the
general growth and welfare Of the
country at large should bo wholly
and totally abstained from, and more
especially those things that arc crying
public evils. Those things that dis
grace, and improvish us. Those
things that make moral shipwreck
of, and fill all tho dark vaults cells
and dungeons of all thcprison houses
of the world with the youths OF the
present generation. In fact those
things that SOW the seeds Of discord
and ruin among all nations (liindreds)
tongues, and people throughout the
world. Those things, should be
shuned as you would shun tho bottom
less pit if you literally stood on its
brink. Now this is no fancy painting,
or freak OF the imagination, but falls
far short of the reality. l have only
opened the gates, that the thought
full may look in, and consider. And
among al those evils to which L have
alluded, that the really temperate
man should shun Us he would shun
the great king of terrors, whiskey is
the head, and source. am not able
to state the number of lives lost
annually, nor the amount OF money
spent, or moneys worth of property
lost by whiskey as the moving cause.
/ hope some ADLER pen than mine
will give statistics on this subject.
The above are my sincere views rs
well as / can express them of temper
ance in its broad and mrestrained
meaning, and, hope that none who
reads will feel the least offended.
And in conclusion will say that I
believe that the only eilectual remedy
will be for the congress of the United
States to take it in hand and restrict
the manufacture of intoxicating
liquors. Prohibiting its importation,
and allowing only enough made for
medicinal purposes. ! can imagine
many objections that would probably
be urged 20 this idea, but believe
they can all be reasonably, ana logi-
cally answered More, perhaps. by
and by.
J. ID. CAuY.