The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-10-02
The Temperance Centennial.

In this city, New York and elsewhere,
the present week is devoted by the total
abstinence associations to celebration
of the centennial anniversary of the
temperance movement In this country.
As Dr. Benjamin Rush, the celebrated
physician, moralist and philosopher,
was at the head OF this movement, there
is great propriety in assOciating his
name with this centennial anniversary.
But it may we'll be doubted whether
many of the prohibitionists who are en-
gagged in this celebration are aware OF
the position Of DR.. Rush on the temper
ance question. Whilst he ably argued
against the pernicIous effects of indul-
gence in spirituous liquors he was not
an aquarian or pTohibitiOnisG by any
means.
In tract giving an account OF the
German inhabitants of Pennsylvania be
commended their habits of temperance,
saying that every few of them ever used
distilled spirits in their families, theiI
common drinks being beer, wine and
| cider.'' He appealed to the citizens and
| the law makers of the country to learn
/ from the wealth and independence OF
| the German inhabitants of PennsylVa-
/ MIA 30 encourage 1.-THE republican viz
! tues of frugality and economy" As a
/
! The writings of DR.. Rush against the
/ use OF ardent spirits for drink, it IS re-
| corded that at the festival in this city
/ on the fourth of July, 17SS, to celebrate
| the ratification of the Federal COnstitu-
/ tion by ten States, ardent spirits had
been excluded, American beer and cider
! being the only liquors used. Dr. Rush
was too great philosopher to engage in
an irrational and fanatical movement to
Danish the use of spiIituOus or malt
liquors by legislative enactmeDts, but
there Is no doubt that be accomplished
more good for genuine temperance re-
, form thar all the prohibitiOnists that
| ever lived in this country, There IS,
accordingly, good reason for assOciating
his venerable name with this ahniVer-
saTy.
The friends OF temperance have just
cause to congratulate themselves on the
| great progress which their movement
has made within the present century.
Although grossly exaggerated statistics
are produced 20 prove the contrary, the
people of the United States from being
one of the hardest drinking nations are
becoming among the most spaTiDg con-
sumeTs OF spirituous liquors, When DR..
Rush began his attack upon intemper-
ance Whiskey and rum were regarded as
!
"almo5t as free as water" In farm
labor ardent spirits we're regular daily
ration. 1t is related by writers OF the
period that Gin the country clergy drank
as hard as their paIishiOneTs; that
women and children Joined in the rev.
! els and that it was no more uncommon
to meet tipsy clergyman than it was
to see a woman or half-gTowH boy stag
gering from an overload Of spirits, or
farm hand lying blind drunk by the
roadside" " In Pennsylvania there were
in 1890 no less than 5000 stills in opera
tiOn in population of 434,373 or one
still for every eighty-seven of the inhab-
itan.s.
As proof of the great change in the
drinking habits Of the people as advO-
Gated by DR.. Rush and other temperance
refoUmeTs, it is shown by official stRtis-
ties that the consumption of ardent
spirits in this country during the first
decade of this centUry averaged four
and hale gallons annually to each head
OF The population. The consumption of
spirits for drink has gradually declined
| from that time, until now it does not
much exceed one gallon annually for
each inhabitant. The total amount Of
spirits produced in this country and i'm
ported for consumption in 1860 was So
96S GAL gallons. From this must be de-
Quoted an export of 1904 0SS, which
leaves Sc, 364, 567 gallons for domestic
consumption. If %, 900, 900 gallons be
deducted for use in the arts and manu-
features, there remained 81, 1854 6G4
for consumption for drink. In 1884 the
total amount of liquors retained fOI do
mestic consumption ard imported was
! 6S. so, 474 gallons. If u per cent. of
this be deducted for the arts and manu-
factuTes, 60, $50, Cos gallons remain for
drink. In other words, 31'443, ,321 in
habitants of the United States consumed
in 1850 more spirits for drink than CO.
GOO 900 inhabitants consumed for drink
in 1884
These facts indicate a wonderful
change 10 the drinking customs and
tastes Of the people of this country since
the temperance movement was inaugu-
rated by DR.. Rush and his coadjutors in
1885. Willis the consumption Of whis-
J key is steadily declining, the use of beer
and light wines increases. In 1860 The
amount of domestic wine produced in
the United States was l, $50, COS gallons.
and in 1884 the total wine production of
the country was II, ,402, 938 gallons. In
the former year the cOuntTy's total con-
sumption o: malt liquors amounted to
1Ol, ,346, 699 gallons, and IN 1884 it was
$50, ,016, 517 gallons. 1t can hardly be
disputed by the most fanatical advo-
Gates of prohibition that this change in
. drinking customs from fiery spirits to
light wines aid beer is the proof of a
substantial temperance reform.
Whilst the earnest efforts of rational
advocates of temperance have done much
! to promote this reform, no credit for il
can be accorded to the legislative prohi.
bitionists. The tendency of their eff
forts, wherever partially successful, has
been to arrest this practical reform. By
putting beer and light wines under the
ban of prohibitOry legislation they en-
courage the consumption of whiskey.
: In Maine, Kansas and Iowa they have
supplanted tie saloon with the drug
? store for the sale of spirits in various
deleteriOus disguises, and have banished
the less hurtful beer and wine. This
was not the method of temperance re.
: form advocated by the philauthropic
t and philosophic Benjamin Rush.-Phil
Gdelphid Record.
g THE Delaware County Record, a Re
! publican DaDer is making If ouita liyoI,