The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-21
ALCOHOL.
The Teaching OF Hygiene and Effects OF
Alcohol in the Public Schools.
Remarks Of Senator Johnson, Of Tippe-
canoe, in the Indiana State Senate.
Thursday, February 20, 1885.

/ and espe clally the effects OF alcoholic stimu-
/ 'ants on the human system, in the public
schools Mr. Johnson, Of Tippecsnoe, said:
Mr. PREs1DENT-The main reason which
induces me to oppose this bill and, if posi-.
bic to prevent it from becoming a Law. is
founded in the fact that il is the outgrowth
and offspring of that fanatical agitation
which, for the last ten years has disturbed
TIE public mind in regard 20 intempersnce,
its course. preventives, and results There
is not Senator on this floor but who knows
and deplores the evil and destructive efe,ts
which intempersnCe has on the human sys-
tenn. and that it fatally attacks and prema.
turely ruins many q bright mind, many a
heart otherwise noble and generous many a
constitution OF giant strength and power
This is what intempeTance, the immoderate
ana excessive use OF alcoholic
liquors viii inevitably do, and
almost supsrhuman efforts OF moral
r.fOTmers. educators, and statesmen nave
been made to suppress aud eradicate this
vice snd have invariably failed Instead Of
decreasing and iosirg IT'S pernicious grasp on
nations and individuals intemperanoe seems
rather on the increase and 10 extend its
pOwfr. And yet Mr. President. nobody.
believe will claim CT can justly claim that
the people have been kept in ignorance as TO
the banefpl effects OF the excessive or i'm
moderate use OF alcoholic LIQUORS. on the
. =
public platforms have resaundsd with the
eloquence and the fervid arguments OF the
apostles OF temperance and the advocates OF
prohibition, aud IL ousanos OF daily, weekly
and monthly newspapers and periodicals
have echoed and re-echoed this eloouence
and these arguments and carried them TO the
remotest village or farm house of this great
country With such an unlimited and
powerful assistance, one might have
supposed TIE cause of temperance would
make rapid progress and march victorioUslv
over the broad domsin OF this MON. ire
2ietible IN its conquess and all Overp0wer
ing in its gigantic strength. But as stated
before, nothing of the kind has been wit
messed or recorded; the greater the agitation
against iDtempeIa1ce the more numerous
IT'S victims and the more plentiful its hsr
vest. There must be some reason for this
some secret cause, which produces this phe
nomenal effect so contrary to all expecta
tons and desires of reform, ard If am not
greatly mistaken, enc OF these reasons at
least is the spirit Of fsnaticism and intoler
ance with which the agitation against this
great and deplorsble vice has been carried
on. Our country is too enlightened, the
minds OF our people, educated in the
great school OF practical liberty, are so
2Ve1se to intolerance, that Temperance
sgitation. though undoubtedly inspired
by noble motives Just on account OF the in
tolerant ard fanatical spirit with which il
and is too often the subject OF ridicule and
contempt The great mistake these advo-
Gates of temperau &c are constantly making is
their want OF moderation both 10 their argu.
ments and their aspirations. as long as his
tory gives record of nations and their actions
nay, farther back than that-as long as epic
poetry and legendary song celebrates heroes
and heroic deeds, wine and alcoholic stim-
ulants have coexisted with man end human
nature, and 1t is rather ate now, after so many
thousands Of years OF their daily COnsumD-
ton, to attempt to suppress and Danish them
rom the domain which they have
so l0rg occupied. The use OF alcO-
hOlic liquors is, in small and
moderate quantities. neither injurious
nor destructive. The most civilized nations
OF the globe to-day are those where these
liquors enter into the daily diet OF the citi.
zen almost with the same regularity as bread
or meat. | refer to France, Germany and
England the three leading nations of Eu-
rope, which for centuries have been 81 the
head OF civilization, ard have furnished an
abundant list Of illustTious thinkers in every
department of literature, ART and science. IL
- only the immoderate use of these liquors
which is so injurious, both TO the physical
and mental constitution of man. And lust
because the advocates OF temperance too
often fail 10 advance this true and scientific
doctrine, ard blindly denounce and curse
even the moderate indulgence IN them, they
fail to convince the people, and their lessons
OF mora ity are preached to deaf ears and
mUtinOuS minds. Now, Mr.. President, il Is
this same spirit OF intolerance and unwise
fanatlCism which is to be transferred
from the rostrUm, the pulpit and the
public platform TO the school room of
our public schools. so called textbook
of physiology and hygiene, in which the
pernlciOus effects OF alcohol and alcoholic
liquors on the human system are presented
in glazing ool0Ts, as ridiculous as they are
untrue, will, il this bill becomes a law, be
placed in the hands OF the young scholar OF
our public schools and Undue his Mid with
the erroneous idea not that the immoierate
and excessive use Of alcoholic stimulants is
highly injurious but that its use in whatsO-
ever Quantlty-nO matter whether large or
small-is perdition to mans body mind aud
soul Who IS 10 get up, wonder this text
book To whose HANDS Is its composition
to be entrusted? Wose pen will be selected
to FIJI the youthful mind with horrible
dreams aud phantasmsg0ries of the effects of
a elass OF beer or wine 4 tier Whist reform
pattern Of prohibition philosophy is the
teacher, who wants license, to
be examined, and who is ID get
up the questions and answers REQUIRED By
the applicant to obtain this license2
Mr.. President, so far have only objected
to the general aim and tendency Of the laR,
II this bill should become a Law. The very
thing which our educational system should
carefully avoid, the INTRODUCTION OF lntOle-
rant hobbies and isms. will be effected by
this measure. There is plenty OF room now
Tor every teacher in our public schools 10 use
his influence and his example with lis
pupils in behalf of virtue, morality and all
the ennobling qualities Of human character:
al textbooks used as readers are replete
with lessons on temperance and virtue. II
our churches, our SuBdsy-schools and the
daily instruction and exhortations OF our
schools are powerless 10 avert the calamity
OF Incorporate habits among the Young
men Of the Nation. what do you ex pect 10
effect by establishing a special branch Of in
struction. which, from the very fact Of its
being founded on prejudices and ignorance.
will create dissatisfaction among the pee
pie. and by its misrepresen tatiOpe
and unscientifc teachings may breed
In the minds OF the young a feeling