New-York tribune., 1884-03-02
the Baroness Bloomfeld's "reminiscences OF
Diplomatic and Court Life
TILE OrESTION or TIE AGE.

THE QUESTION or THE AGE.
II has been said that the end and the test or
good government is the greatest happiness OF
the greatest number If this be true it must DC
owned that no government extant Is satlsiac-
tOlily conducted. For observation shows that
as a rule political energy is expended upon sec
ondary concerns, while politicians employ all
their dexterity in avoiding action upon the
great problems which most deeply involve the
destines of the masses. There is to-day in the
English-spealinG countries no such tremendous
far-reaching, vital question as that OF drunk
enness. In its implications and ellects IL
Oyershadows all else. 1t is impossible 10 ex-
anime anv subject conn ected withthe progress,
the civilization, the physical weil-Deing' the
religious condition of the masses, without en-
counterinp this monstrous evil. 1t lies at the
centre of all social and political mischief. III
paralyzes beneiicent energies IN every direc-
ton. IL neutTaiZes educational agencies. IL
silences the voice of religion. 1t battles penal
reform. 1t obstructs political reform. 1t rears
aoft mass of evilly-insplred power Whlcn aC
every salient point threatens social ana Ma
tional advance; which gives to Ignorance ana
Wee greater potency than Intelligence ana
of the advantages of modern progress; whlch
debauches and degrades millions, bruta1zlnS
and sOddenirg them below the plane or healthy
savagery, and filing the centres OF pOpulatlon
with creatures whose condition almost excuses
the immortality which renders them dangerous
to their generation.
All these evils, all this mischief, all this de-
struction of human souls and intellects, 60
on among us daily and hourly. There are none
so ignorant or inattentiyo as not TO nave per-
sonal experience of some of them; some hearth
darkened; some family scattered; some loving
heart broken some promising career ruined; ;
some deed of shame done. Yet how hard 1t Is
to get this gigantic evil attacked seriously.
Temperance organizations have indeed been
fighting it for years, yet popular inertia has re-
sisted their utmost efforts. But has all
been done that might and should have
been done by the organized agencies that
represent the higher life 2 What are
doctrinal points for example, compared
TO this ever-present, eyer-active, lnsldi0us IN
fuence7 What are sectarian differences by the
side of this National curse9 Can the Churches
fold their hands and flatter themselves that
their duties are all fulfilled, while the masses
prefer the saloon to the pulpit, and while rum
rules in politics and sOcietyl Are the higher
educational agencies doing all in their power to
advance civilization while they ignore this OBJ
stacle to progress9 Can any political Or
ganization be said to represent the best aspira-
tions and the strongest needs of the people,
while this abiding source Of misery and crime
and poverty is allowed to spread and flourish
There is needed something of that sacred lire
which kndled into incxtinguishable heat the
zeal of the Aboltionists, and which compelled
the abandonment of human slaveryto rouse the
National Indignation and adherence against
this very much greater evil. Nothing snort Oh
this. it is to be feared, will impel time-serving
politicians to approach in spirit of earnestness
subject which is distasteful to them mainly
because they think they cannot afford to do
without the help and support Of the class who
derive from the degradation of the foolish ana
ignorant the means whereby they continue to
rule and plumber those whose sagacity Is proof
against their snares.