Savannah morning news., 1885-06-10
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, l885.
The Temperance convention.


The State Temperance Convention
meets in Atlanta to-day. 1t is probable
that the attendance will be large, and
that every part of the State will be repre-
sented.
Temperance is live issue IN Georgia.
! About everybody has an interest in it,
either directly or indirectly. The progress
it has made is simply marvellous. The
temperance people have control of 81 of
the 1877 counties Of the State, and they are
in fair way to get control of all of them
except the few in which the large towns
are located.
1t will not be denied, perhaps, that tenn
perance has been OF Incalculable benefit
to the counties which have adopted 1t.
1t would be difficult to find any one who
is disposed to be just who will say that
the counties which have prohibited or
restricted the sale of intoxicating liquor
are not better OFT than they were before
they placed themselves on the side OF tenn
perance. They have a more prosperous
and thrifty appearance, and their ex-
penses for the trial aud care OF criminals
and paupers is hardly a tenth OF what it
was under the practically free liquor
system.
It's astonishing how large a percentage
of all the crimes committed can be traced
directly 10 whisky, and it is certain that
drink is the most active agent in filling
poor houses, lunatic asylums and pauper
graves.
The strongest argument, perhaps in ia
vOr of temperance in this State Is that the
counties that have tried 1t don't want to
go back to the old system. They are so
well satisfied that they are willing TO con-
tribute their time and money to bring
other counties under the temperance in
nuence.
1t may be that planters and other citi-
zens OF the governing class in the tenn
perance counties were forced in the be-
ginning TO embrace temperance in self-de-
tense. They found that whisky rendered
negro labor unreliable ana practically
worthless. The cotton plantations and
turpentine farms were ceasing to be profit
able because they could not be worked as
they should be for the want of laborers
who could be depended upon. AS the ne
groes became thriftless the number of
criminals increased, and, consequently
the burdens of the taxpayers became
heavier. The evil effects of the tempting
dram shops were not confined to the ne
grOes. The white people were, to a GER
tain extent, demoralized and impover-
ished. What was adopted, therefore, in
self-defense, is now regarded as blessing.
OF course many well meaning people
oppose the temperance movement under
the idea that it interferes with their per-
sonal liberty. But the temperance people
do not ask for laws preventing people
from using spirituous liquors in their own
homes. Their aim is to prevent the sale
of whisky, wine and other intoxicating
liquors as beverages, and thus remove
the temptation to drink them. OF course
their influence is thrown against the use
of intoxicating liquors as beverages by
anybody and in any place, bat they at
tempt to exercise power only to the ex-
tent of preventing general traffic in them.
There appears to be a disposition in this
State to mix temperance and politics.
There are those who would like to use the
temperance influence to advance their
ambitious purposes. Before the temper.
auce leaders allow themselves to be drawn
into the whirlpool of politics it would be
well for them to consider whether it
would not be wiser to let the temperance
movement stand on it's own merits.