New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-16
TIE FOUYT4INHEAD or 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
local rulers as a gang of rulianly rum sellers
low proved, vy-jawcd, ignorant greedy,
shameless in rapacity. The influence of the
saloon in politics is theme so familiar as to be
trite. Against that influence efforts are being
continually made to array the intelligence,
public spirit and conscience of the community
Temperance societies struggle cOurageOusly
with the gigantic evil of drunkenness. Preach
ers denOunce and protest against it. But it
shakes off all the elements ranged against it,
and continues to poison debauch, brutalize all
who come in contact with it. The truth is that
the Nation has not yet taken this tremendous
evil with sufficient 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 political and social, begin as
rule with the secondary instead of the primary
causes of corruption. To remove the abuses
which choke healthy progress III all our large
cities it il necessary to do more than change
parties or modify governmental methods or
shift responsibilities Municipal corruption,
crime, poverty, ignorance, immortality, all
flourish rankly because the people tolerate Rum.
At the bottom of nine-tenths of all the evils
from which modern society suffers, this cause is
to be found
1t is not confined to the lowest classes. 1t
weakens the purpose of educated men. 1t
pulses the energies of benevolent men. 1t
breeds allies for the powers of evil in almost
unsuspected quarters. 1t generates a spirit Of
indifference which is as effective against reform
as active friendship for incompetence. 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 yenal ignorance
swapping enlightened patriotism, of plundered
treasures and systematic official chicanery and
theft, of private dcfalcation and bankruptcy,
of murders and assaults, of divorce and deser-
ton, of prohigacy, restitution, suffering and
shame in myriad forms, and behind each and
all these caamities and evil deeds may be seen
Intemperance as tho prime cause. 1t is every
where. 1t makes and mars in every relation Of
life. 1t pursues thousands from the cradle to
the grave. 1t reinforces every magn influence
and agency 1t battles all efforts at better things.
Yet the public do not regard it as an enemy to
be fought with uncomprOmisng and persistent
hostiltyj they even sometimes seem to think
that it is better to let it alone altogether.
But there must be a much deeper and more
general realization of the necessity for radical
rcform in this matter. The popular conscience
must be stirred and reused through the popular
intelligence. 1t is but few days since body
of rum sellers In this State solemnly and
officially declared; /" That as citizens and tax
"payers we have in common with our fellow
citizens the advancement of the interests OF
d" the whole people" These same men further
declared their business "to be Legitimate and
worthy of protection and support" These ex-
prcssons show to what extent of auda city
liberation and Indifference naturally lead. The
public are required to Support" the men who
are engaged in the most evil and corrupting and
degrading occupation the world has ever
suffered FROM and It Is impudently announced
that the enhancement of the interests Of the
whole people" is sought by these vendors Of
poison and manufacturers OF crime and ruin.
The National conscience, the community con-
science, must indeed need rousing, when such \
hardy nsolcnce and brutal defiance of decent
public opinion passes almost unnOticcd. Some
influence stronger and more rapid in its opera
ton than the slow process of evolution is re-
quircd to set in motion effective reform sentl-
mcnt. The curse of modern civilization may
else become It's destroyer before a remedy IA
applied. Let it be remembered that there can
be- no true freedom with venpI and dc raded