San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-11-13
TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
CONDUCTED BY MRS. A. G. MosHrR.

constantly increasing feeling in thi
country on the Temperance question il
evidenced in many ways, among which
is the great number of petitions
signed by hundreds and thousands
of people and sent to the federal con.
gress, to state legislatures, or to
other bodies, all complaining of the
evils of intemperance and praying for
such relief as may be in the power o.
the parties to which the appeal il
made to grant. Then for nearly 9
century past, combinations have been
formed, societies organized, and
united efforts made to stay the tide
of intemperance and promote the
public veal by introducing and main.
tanning better state of things
throughout the communities of the
people. In some form or other
under some name or other, such
societies have existed in this country
for more than 80 years, and yet there
has been all the time an increase in
the manufacture of Intoxicating
drinks, at least proportioned to, if
not beyond, the increase of the federal
population.
The present writer, who has long
kept close watch upon the temper
ance movements in this country, is far
from taking pessimist view of the
subject or undertaking what has
been done in the cause of temperance,
believing, as he does, that but for
these efforts there would have been
much more drunkenness than what
is, but while admitting all that is due,
and bestowing all pruise to whom it
may be due; he, with thousands of
others, most deeply regrets that no
more has been done. In 1926 the
American Temperance Society was
formed.
Its pledge and its work directed
against distilled liquors only, making
no reference to wines or malt liquors.
But only a few years trial sutficed to
prove this was not all that was need
ed. A change was made, and fermen-
ted as we'll as distilled liquors were
included in the pledge, and the
Washingtonians, the Teetotalers, the
Sons of Temperance, and the Good
Templars came on in regular sue
cesssion, and except the last named,
they as distinct organizations have
all passed away.
They all did good, no doubt, much
good, but none did all that was need
ed to be done, and now the question
is that of prohibition by statutory.
or constitutional enactment. The
question is one of deep seriousness.
With the people of this country it is
a question of policy. The legal
right of a majority of the people
to forbid by constitutional provision,
the manufacture and sale. ofintoxicat-
ing liquors as common beverage,
can no more be questioned than we
can question their right to forbid
and abate nuissnces, or to forbid the
sale of spoiled meats or poisonous
vegetables. All this talk and bluster
about sumptuary laws is wide of the
mark. So is that about personal
liberty" and "private rights. Civil
liberty consists in doing, or in per
mission to do that, and only that,
which is most consistent with the
interests of the whole society of which
the individual is member. Consttu-
tons set forth the conditions on which
, society is organized, and according
10 which the members Of the society
ire to be governed Each member
IS ON the same plane and under the
same obligations with the others
What is imposed upon, or required
'f one, is imposed upon, or required
1f all
Now, admitting. as We must the
distract, legal night Of the majority
II the people in tins country. TO form
md amend their own goveTnment-|
.dmitting that our government is OF
he people, by the people, and for the
We see at once the prOblbl-
lon question is one Of policy rather
han Of right II may be awful, bot
; II expedisnti A majority has DO
light TO OPpress . minority; bat .
rOuId such 3 measure bs Oppressvsf .
aoz, Ebsrsi N phzti Lea ~
,onsidsr vel LOok at thsoOadItson !
4 tbs Euf5-Hqaor p~rt q TIE coD-
- Il. 49, - rr-~~aa.f~r- -