Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-10-17
THE QUESTION OF THE AGE.

The New York Tribune of March
p, 1881 hal the following ringing
editorial.
It has been said that the end and
the test of good government is the
greatest happiness of the greatest
number. If this be true, it must
be admitted that no government ex-
tant is salts 'actorially conducted.
For observation shows that as a rule
political energy is expended is ex-
pended upon secondary concerns,
while politicians employ all dexter
ity IN avoiding action upon the
great problems which most deeply
involve the destinles Of the masses
There is to-day III the English-speak-
ing countries, no such tremendous,
far-reachlng, vital question as that
drunkenness. In its implications
and effects it oTershadows all else
1t is impossible to examine any sub
ject connected with tic progress, the
civilization, the physical well-being,
the religious condition Of the masses
without eneountering the monster
evil. It is at the centre Of social
and political mischief. 1t paralyzes
bonetlicent energies in every direc-
ton. 1t neutralizes educational
agencies. | silences the voice Of re-
ligion. It battles penal reform.
1t reaFs aloft i mass ofeyilly inspired
power which at every salient point
threatens social and national advance,
which give to ignorance and vice 4
greater potency than intelligence
and virtue can command. which
depriyes the poor Of the advantages
Of modern progress; which aebauch-
es and degrades million, brutalizing
and soldering them below tie plain
Of healthy sayagery, and filing the
the centres Of population with crea-
lures whose condition almost excus-
es the immortality which renders
them dangerous IN their generation.
All these evils. all this mischief,
ali this destruction Of human souls
and intellects, 20 on among us daily
hourly. There are none ignorant
or inattentiye rs not to have person
al experience Of some Of them: some
hearth darkened; some family scat
tered some loving heart broken !;
some promising career ruined some
deed OF shame done. Yet how hard
it is to get this gigantic evil attack
ed seriously. Temperance organiza-
tions have indeed been fighting it for
years. Yet popular inertia has
resisted their utmost efforts. But
has all been done that could be done
BY the organized agencies that rep
resent the higher life? What are
sectarian differences by the side Of
this national curse? Can the
churches fold their hands and latter
themselves tAat their duties are full
filed, while the masses prefer the
saloon to the pulpit, and while rum
rules in politics and society? Are
the higher educational agencies do
ing all in their power to advance
civilization while they ignore this
obstacle to progress. Can any po-
litieal organization be said to repre-
sent the best aspirations 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 fire which kindled into mex
tinguishabie heat the zeal Of the
Abolitionists, and which compelled
the abandonment Of human slavery,
to rouse the national Indignation
and adherence against this very
much greater evil. Nothing short
Of this, it is feared. will impel time
serving politicians to approach in q
spirit Of earnestness a subject which
is distasteful to them because they
think they cannot afford to do with
out the help and support OF the
class who derive from the degrada
ton Of the foolish and ignorant the
means whereby they continue torule
and plumber those whose sagacity is
proof against their snares.
When that sacred fire stirs the
hearts of Mississlppians, there will
be no trouble to get the right kind
of laws through.