, 1884-03-08
BE rEmrrnArE ~ AL rmINGs

Temperance is essentially a good
quality which should be fostered in all
directions. There is temperance in
eating as we'll as in drinking; temper
ance in talking as well as temperance
in acting. Then, too, intemperance is
frequently found in eating, drinking,
talking and acting. Often times, there
is intemperance in tbs very speech of
orators who denounce the drinking of
liquors. They would impale, cruelty
and consign to eternal torture the man
who sells rum and ruin, as they term
the alcoholic beverages, whilst they do
not propose any punishment for those
who drink immoderately and thus over
stimulate themselves with the juice of
the fermented corn or that of the Sc
ductive hops. They leave all this for
the law officers to do. yet they inyeigh
solely against the maker and seller OF
the exhilarsting liquids. Then, too,
they Unexpectedly d%enounce, at times,
the local and secular press for not get
ting up periodical hurrahs, just as they
do, after the style of shot ratified lively
In an inflated bladder. The difference
between a well conducted journal and
these irrational enthusiasts in this re-
spect is just this: The first keeps
within the bounds Of propriety, whilst
the second would abrogate all laws and
go blindly, baldheadedly and indis-
criminately for the saloon keepers and
liquor sellers generally, could they but
securely entrench themselves behind a
barricade where their precious car
oasses would not be exposed amid the
fusilade of created wrath. Now, a
great many OF the tall, temperance
takers have in their hey-day, been gin
guzzlers, ~gormandizers and free-lunch
FOUNDERS, whilst some of them seem to
rejoice greatly in putting themselves
Sticky forward as ''frightful examples"
of burning brands summarily snatched
from the furious flames Of alcoholic de-
~structiou. One Of the most prominent
temperance orators of the present era
is a man who, whilst in a drunken de-
bauch, brutally deprived a fellow man
Of his life. This is a part of his career
which he very judicioasly omits in his
temperance talk before his audiences
composed largely of refined church peo-
pie who would shudder at the recital Of
the bloody deed committed whilst he
was drunk. Alcoholism when IL assumes
the form of crime should be punished
as crime. The laws which regulate the
sales of intoxicating liquors ought to
be as vigorously enforced as other laws,
and, whilst standing or the statute
books, they ought neither be defed nor
menaced by any class or classes Of peo-
pie. If they be weak, inadequate OF
unjust in their provisions, let them be
repealed In the proper and duly consti.
tuted manner Fighting fire with fire
is a fearful remedy; and fight
ing one kind of intemperance with
another kind of intemperance is
equally as detrimental. Whatever is
wrong should be opposed in a rational
manner, and whatever is right should
not be advocated i'll an irrational way.
The respect of nc man, nor Of any class
Of men, can te secured through TRADES
hurled against their business callings.
Argument carries conviction; abuse
engenders opposition. There is a most
happy medium in all things, and the
abuses of the liquor traffic will best be
reached through calm reason embod-
led in wise laws vigorously enforced
without fear or favor by those whose
duty it is to protect the peace of the
public.