The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-17
Maine Teaching Temperance.

The experiment about to be tried in
Maine of scientific instruction in tenn
perance will be watched with a good
deal of interest all over the country.
In theory 1t is perfectly sound. A geu-
GRAFTON thoroughly taught as to the
terrible results, physical, moral and
social, of intemperance ought to grow
up with a bias in favor of temperance.
which will be a stout SHIELD against
temptation. Apparently the people
of Maine intend that the teaching shall
be thorough. A special committee of
the State Pedagogical Society, intrust-
ed with the duty of suggesting meth
DDS, has been earnestly considering
the subject and have reached some
general conclusions, They have de-
cided, for instance, that the teaching
shall embrace so much of hygiene and
physiology as to show fully the effects
of stimulants and narcotics Oh the
human system and that the instruc-
tons shall be progressive and continu-
Gus in all the grades, Other matters,
such as whether the instruction shall
be oral or from text books. have not
been settled; but they will be thorough
ly discussed and decided before the
plan Is put in operation, to the end
that the system may work smoothly
from the first.
What the prospect of success is it is
difficult to forecast. As already said,
the theory is sound; but so is the
theory of prohibition. To prevent alb
solutely the sale of intoxicating drinks
ought to be the most effective prevent
i've of MODIFICATION or intemperance.
Unfortunately the paactice does not
accord with the theory. The whole
country at one time or an other has
followed Names example in adopt
the theory and the greater part of
the country has been compelled to
abandon it. As a consequence Maine
does not occupy the highest position
as a teacher in temperance matters;
and the fact that she has been first to
adopt this new experiment is not
specially in its favor.
Some doubt as to the probable value
the system springs from the knowl-
edge which is very general that ac-
1uaintance with the evils of intemper-
very rarely operate as a safe
guard against the excessive use of
The victims of the vice
re not found exclusively among the
gnorant. They include some of the
brightest and most intelligent of the
and not a few of those whose pro-
essional education has been of charac- !
er to enlighten them thoroughly as .
o the effects of alcohol. when we con- :
ider how Intellectual are all pleas adj
to the man with a craving for !
rdent spirit, it is not worth while to ,
ut o much confidence in the results .
f Intellectual training. I,
Few men who have not felt it or had :
specially impressed upon them have :
ny conception of what this craving =
Said a gentleman in this city, not q
ing since, to a drunken wreck who :
as a few years ago one of the bright .
1t and most promising Of Detroit's
Dung men: "Why don't you quit this !.
fep Don't you see that you are ruin 4
g your family, that you have lost y
social position, your property, =
health, and that yon are going o.
own to a drunkard's graveP" =
And the wreck responded: "Do J
~ think you have told me anything u
you suppose there is anything 2 .
domestic happiness or social posi- +
IN or health even that l have not
of a hundred times to your :.
ice or that l do not know the value 1t
as well as you do? l have had these =,
ings held up to me and held them up "
yself hundreds of times. l have got y
by heart. But they have ceased u
mean anything to me. 1 know u
nat domestic comfort is, but l don't
INT it, / don't want social position. u;
ion't want the respect of my fellow u
l don't want money. don't 3
health. l want tn,. 1t is the u.
ly thing l do want; and when you ~
me all these other things you do %
t tempt me a Bit" u'
It is against this sort of an appetite NJ !,
1T the Maine temperance teaching M
} oppose itself.-Detrot Free Press. W.