Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-04-27
THE TEMPERANCE PROBLEM.
G editor of the Alexandria Gazette:

they frequently are, i'll discussing the tenn
perance question. In the last Herald, Rev
p. II. Fontaine says: The liquor traffic
pays the State about $4,000 per annum
During that time the State has to pay about
100000 for criminal expenses-andi it is adj.
mitted that liquor causes about three-fourths
of the crimes in the State"
Having seen such discrepancy in the
statements of different writers in regard TO
the above financial estimates, wrote TO the
Auditor for an official statement which has
lust reached me. He says: THE receipts
from liquor licenses for the fiscal year end
ing September so, 1885, were $21S. 6292
and for the same period the criminal charges
were 1920, 770S7." This is official, thai was
conectural. 1t were we'll for temperance
men to be temperate in all things.
DR.. Norman Kerr is quoted in the last
copy of the Baltimore Baptist as saying:
zone glass Of whiskey causes the heart 10
beat over 500 additional times in twenty
four hours" The fact is, that in many
cases, especially of debility whi-key very
much decreases the frequency OF the hearts
pulsatons, and generally, in full potations,
renders them Unfortunately slow-rerbum sat.
Seeing. in the Religions Herald recently,
letter from Rev. H. S. Burrage, in regard
to the success of the liquor law in Maine, /
was surprised to learn from him that the
Maine LIQUOR law does not prohibit, even III
Maine. For while there is not distillery
or brewery or an open saloon in the State,
liquor is yet sold secretly, even in the c0nn.
tyv fo,rns. / have friend living in Maine,
who is distinguished lawyer and deVout
Christian, exceedingly wise, prudent and
conservative, and an earnest advocate oil
temperance, to whom / wrote 10 regard to
the success of the law there. He has been
for many years president Of reform club,
counsel for the Woman's Temperance I'm
ion and the Prohibition League, and severa!
other similar societies. often advocating the
cause Of temperance upon the hustings. No
one can have better opportunity OF know
| ing the operations of the Maine liquor law
than he. He says lin reply to questions):
"For thirty. eight years, before the adoption
of the law, there had been committed but
two capital crimes in the State; ia 1SS4-S5
there were six.
"In the county Of Cumberland, including
Portland, the yearly average of fines for vi
olating the law is $25, 000 showing that ille
gal sales are not prohibited, but simply paid
| for.
"As rule drug stores and holes through
out the State.sell Intoxicating liquors.
sIu every town OF considerable siZ5 ara
places Of illegal traffic.
| maine is the 9th State in population in
the Union, but the records of the United
States revenue service, show that among
the States Maine is the 10Th in the number
of United States licenses taken out for deal
ing in this merchandise
''The most fearfuly excessive drinkers /
have ever seen arc natives OF the State OF
Maine
81 think no one has had his desire to use
Intoxicating liquors as beverage seriously
intertered with by the law.
"Where the population are temperance
men from honest convictions, there is no
difficulty in executing the Maine liquor law.
The temperance agitation here has devel-
oped every conceivable phase of character.
Those who are temperance men from prn-
ciple, and desire to secure the triumph Of
their principles by persuasion, love and
christian example, cranks, fanatics, senti
mentaiss and professional workers Cor
money or prelerment
"a prohibitory law brings many undesira-
| BILE political complications. The liquor in
terest is powerful one (even after nearly
| thirty years OF prohibition) and has large
this interest is directed to compass the cleo
ton of officers who will either neglect the
enforcement, or enforce not 10 suppress, but
| simply to seem to do go. Ia 1885 the demo
Gratis carried Portland, and these officers
| enforced the law rs it had never before been
| approached. The result was that the hotel
keepers, druggists and wholesale dealers OF
| all classes protested; they said that trade in
general was injured, buyers from abroad
| were kept away; the temperance fanatics
saw their occupation as agitators was in
peril and did not like it, and at the city
| election last month, this honest and efficient
| administration was overwhelmingly de-
feated."
This is, l presume, as fair, candid. just
| and truthful exhibit of the operations Of
prohibition, after nearly 80 years experience,
| as can be obtained. | see nothing cncourag-
| ing in it,
Man is fallen and depraved creature and
if the influences of Christian association,
church fellowship and fraternal love can't
suppress drunkenness, much less moderate
drinking in tho Christian churches, how
can human laws suppress the same evils
among those who have neither love OF the
souls Of men or the fear of God to influence
or sustain them Make the fountain pure
anu tu6 Slreilu Will Uo pure. but YOU say
by prohibiting the sale you remove the
temptation. This is grand mistake, for
"God made man upright, but he has sought
out many Inventions" The invention pro-
duced the temptation, in an osteusible point
Of view, for the cravings Of a fallen nature
prompted the invention. And if every dis
tillery and brewery in America were des-
troyed, man would have the same wicked
heart, the same evil desires, the same de.
PRAYED appetites, and be would continue to
seek out many inventions" TO cvade the
law and satisfy his tastes.
For ell these evils there is an infallible
remedy-one and only oHe-and that Christ
has promised in his word. To attempt it
through any other channel ia wasting time
money, power and prestige. Liquor sellers
and dram drinkers have souls as valuable in
the sight Of God as have local optionists,
and it is as much the duty of ministers of
the gospel to seek and save these as any
other class. But when the messengers of