New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-19
.IOHN B. GOTGH.


John B. Cough the famous temperance adj
yocate. is dead The career to which he de-
voted himself has not hitherto been regarded
blythe world as equal in importance to many
Others which certainly yield less practical bene-
fits to the race Yet the difficulties of pcrcep-
ton in this case are comparatively slight. For
whereas the minister of religion must appeal to
the eve of faith for recognition of the perils
which he seeks to save men from, the preacher
against the drink evil deals only with tenn
poral concerns, and points his exhOrta-
tions and warnings with pregnant exam
pies drawn from everyday affairs And when
it IS considered that drink is so intimate
an element of modern civilization as to be in
separable from any sound view of domestic life,
or politics, or business, or society, police, or
charity, or penology when, too, it is seen that
all its influence is sinister, brutalizing, corrupt
ing, paralyzing and poisonous; it is surprising
that the men who, possessing such power OF
exposition as Cough had, give themselves to
the warfare against this great evil, are not con-
ceded much higher positions in the general es-
timation.
Whoever seriously studies any of the prob
lens of the time is speedily confronted by the
drink evil. 1t swallows up the savings of Oper-
atives. 1t furnishes the foundation for
political corruption which threatens disaster to
the State 1t cOunteracts the labOrs of the
churches 1t battles philanthropy. 1t rein
forces socialism and the commune. 1t keeps
the lowest classes brutal and dangerous, and
those next in order Philistlne and material.
In a thousand subtle ways by direction
and indirection, purpOsely and as of instinct, 1t
acts and reacts against the progress OF human
ity, everywhere increasing the friction, every
where making heavier the burden of the re-
former, everywhere rendering more unrespon-
sive the masses whose regeneration Is being
attempted. Against this great and power
full evil John b. Cough stood all n long
lifetime in battle array. His voicc-and there
were few more eloquent-was heard pleading
for sobriety during five and forty years, almost
wherever the English tongue is spoken. The
experience of the man was a strange one.
There can be no surprise that he thought his
work the greatest possible, when we remember
the scenes he was familiar with, the kind of
facts it was his business TO gather. Wherever
he looked he found the drink evil branding ITS
victims, besOtting them, degrading them, turn
ing them into swine or tigers alternately.
He saw homes ruined, innocent women
and children sacrificed by the thousand
promising careers blasted, honor exchanged for
shame. Some of these things VIC all see even
without searching, but how many of Us act
upon our knowledge 7
John b. Cough acted. He went before the
people, and with the horror of his recollections
full upon him he translated his emotion into
an eloqucnce that stirred the hearts of ms
hearers deeply. We need not be grudging in
our estimate OF the good which such
an advocate has done. We have sober evil
dence to the effect that thousands of men were
saved from drunkards' graves by his speeches.
We know, too that there was in his argument
nothing perfunctory, and indeed the man must
be of little account who, with such n brief in his
hands, failed of sincerity and earnestness.
Cough aSsurcdy did not. His soul was III
his work, and all who heard him felt
this. lie had been drnker, and
he wrestcd with drink In the
same spirit that John Bunyan wrcstled with
the sins which had so long held him In thrall.
The cause of temperance owes much to John b.
Cough, and the world is beginning to realize
that its obligations to the cause of temper
ance are not Insignificant TO his efforts per-
haps as much as to any cause this change of view
is due. AS yet beginning only has been made
Education proceeds slowly when the eradication
of clinging habits, however mischicvOuS
is concerned. But however far reform may be
carried In the future and however dark, rela-
lively speaking, the present condition of the
drink question may appear when higher plane
is reached, the record and the memory of John
Il. Cough will remain conspicuous aud honor
able in the history of This movement.