The Red Cloud chief., 1884-05-02
An OyershadGwins Question.

1t has been said that the end and the
test of good government is the greatest
happiness to the greatest numrer. II
| this be r it must be owned that no
Government eXtant is satisfactorily con-
Quoted. For observation show, that. As u
rule. political energy is expended upon
secondary concerns. while politician,
employ all their dcNterity in avoiding
action upon the great problems which
most deeply Involve the de~tiuieS.O o. the
masses. There $ to-day in the English
speaking countries no such Tremendous,
~far-Teachin". vital question As that OF
drunkenness. In its implica'ionS and
effects ii overShadows everything els :.
1t is impossible TO examine anv subject
connected with the progress, the civil
liza:ion, the physical well-baing. the re-
HgiOuS condit on OF the masses, with
out encounterin% the mOnStrous evil.
Ii lies at the center OF all social aud
political mischief. 1t paralyzes ener-
gies in every direction. II neutral,zes
educational agencies. II silenccs thr
voice Of religion. 1t battles penal re-
form. Ii ob>tructs political reform. II
rears alo.t 3 mass o cvllly inspired
power which at every salient point
threatens social ami nat Onal advance;
which gives to Ignorance and Vice q
greater potency than Intelligence and
Virtue can command; which depriveS
the poor of the advantages Of modern
progress; which dcbaucheS and de-
grades millions. brutalizinT and sad
dening them below the plane of healthy
savagery. and filling the centerS of pop
ulatiOn with creatures whose condition
almost excuses the immortality which
renders thvm dangerous TO their gener-
alton.
All these evils, all this mischief. all
this destruction of human souls and in
tellects. 70 on among us daily and
hourly. There arr none so ignorant
and ~inattentive Is not to have personal
experience of some of them: some
hearth darkencd: some family seat
tered; some loving heart broken; some
promising career ruined; some deed of
shame done. le; how hard it is To- ret
this gigantic evl attacked seriously.
Temperance Organizat ons have indeed
been fighting it tor years: yet popular
inertia has resisted their utmost efforts.
But has all been done that might and
should have been done by the organized
agencies that represent the higher life?
W hal are doctrinal points. for example,
compared to this ever-present, ever
active. insidiOus influence What are
sectarian differences BY the side of this
National CURSE Can the churches fold
their hands and Halter themselves that
their duties are all fulfilled. while the
masses prefer the saloon to the pulpit,
and while rum rules in politics and o
Are the higher educational
agencies doing all in their power To AT
vance civilization while they ignore this
obstacle to progress? Can any pol teal
organization be said to represent the
best aspira ions and the strongest needs
of the people. while this abiding source
OF misery and crime and poverty Is al
to spread and flourish?
There Is needed something of that
sacred fire which klndles into mex
I .nguishable heat the zeal of the Aboli- !
tionists. which compelled the apsndufI-
ment Of human slavery, to rouse the
National ind gnatiOn and adherence
against this much greater evil. Nothing
short of this, it is to be feared. will i'm
pei time-serving politicians to approach
IN n spirit of earnestness 4 sub ect
is distasteful to them mainly be-
they think they can not afford to
without the help and support Of the
class who derive from the degradation
the foolish and ignorant the means
whereby they continue to rule and
those whose sagacity is proof
against their snares.-N. j. Tribune.