Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-08-11
TEMPERANCE.
Abstract Of and Address made by Rev.
Robert Il. Williams at the Temper
ance Meeting Last Night.

It would not be difficult to show
that Intoxicating liquor is the great.
est enemy that our working people
have. Statistics show that The money
spent by working men for whiskey
and tobacco amounts to nearly sixty
dollars year for each man. Thie il
the average. Some spend more. some
less. That amount Of money judici-
ously invested would, 10 ten or fifteen
years, be enough 10 secure a home
for those who would save their money.
1t would not be difficult to estimate
the large sum that Eve cents O day
would amount to 10 twenty years.
But five cents q day is soon increased
to ten, and fifteen, and in thousands
of cases, much more. In ,me cases
large proportion of the wages goes
into the hands of the liquor dealer. A
manufacturer who employs seven
hundred men. presented each with
ten dollar bill. which he had marked
for identification On the second day
after the presentation, four buadred
and ten of these bills we're deposited
in the banks by saloon keepers.
Such statements as these show that
vast sums are invested In this way,
ald that the great enemy of the
working man that which binders
his advancement--is intoxicating
liquor.
If we speak the / only of the waste
of money in the use of intoxicating
liquors, we see that it would amount
to sufficient in a few years to give
comfortable homes to our twenty
million wage-earniug people
When such facts are brought to
the attention of the people, they have
good effect, and We have arrived at
period 10 this temperance reform
when the newspapers are presenting
the subject in its true light. The
newspaper will be recognized as a
powerful ally in temperance work.
There are, it is said, one hundred
and twenty-nine newspapers that
advocate prohibition. Many others
that have been indifferent on the
subject of intemperauce. are now ad-
vocating it.
These papers bring to the attention
of the people facts concerning the
liquor business, and the progress of
temperance principles, that they
would never have without their aid.
They show Us the means by which
this trade is carried on in towns
where liquor selling is prohibited,
and how proclaim eggs and other
things filled with whiskey are sent
TO these towns. They tell US who
are engaged 10 this business, and
how four huodred saloons in New
York city are kept by women, ouly
one OF whom is an American. They
form public opinion, and are the
means Of securing good laws.
Invaluable is the aid of the news
paper in this reform
Then, we find the ministers of all
denominations with few exceptions
giving their aid to this reform. In
the United States there are 10000
ministers. The liquor dealers are
considerably more than twice that
number. In Maryland there are
1880 ministers. The liquor dealers
of the State are more than three times
that number.
In some parts of the country,
ministers have been nominated for
Congress and other important officer.
To some this may be considered as
fattering to the minister. 1t shows
the influence of the minister, but if
any one supposes that it is promo
ton to go from the pulpit to Congress,
he has certainly underestimate the
dignity aud worth of the ministry.
Besides, the church ought to have
raised u0 laymen to plead this cause
in the high places of the land The
minister can do effective work for this
and other reforms, by a judicious
presentation of ittin the regular work
of bis ministry. A host of earnest.
able laymen are coming to the front
in this great work, and to them we
may commit the work of legislation,
with the hope that what they do will
eventuate in the greatest good.
YOU WILL never have any trouble