The Press., 1888-08-30
Issued Every Thursday Evening.
(Contributed.)
 THE DRINK PROBLEM.

lems, and is, moreover, the most moral of these problems. It is true, too, that the solution of all our other social problems, in certain sense, waits upon the solution of this problem, since all efforts toward the improvement of the social conditions around us must depend for success upon the ex. tent to which temperance or intemperance prevails. In entering upon an examination ot the temperance problem in our own country, or more properly of the drink problem, we are at once struck with the dimensions of the problem. General sta- tistics upon most subjects are interesting, snd this is notably true of those statistics which pertain to the drink problem, be- cause of the constant and oftentimes inex- act use made of them by the professional temperance agitator. A few statistics, however, will do much to show the dimen- si'ns of the drink evil. In the American Grocer, MT. Barrett has shown us that the drink bill of the United States amounts in single year to. about $70O, ,000, 900, and he estimates that this bill is raid by about one fourth of our population. From other sources we learn that in one year the az. gregate earnings of all of the manufactur- ing employees of the United States were $947, ,953, 795, the total railroad earnings of the country were $580. .45O, 594, the total value of public school property at that time was $79, ,339, ,814, and the value of all church nrfx No necessary upon the comparison between these latter items and the national drink bill. The dimensions of our problem are made apparent without argument. Hav- ing taken glance at the proportions of our subject we may next consider the ethics of this problem. By the ethics of the drink problem is meant the duty of each individ- ual toward the question, whether each in- dividual shall consider himself as one in- terestcd in society and it's welfare, or as not interested. So far as an individual is concerned, the use of alcohol may posKihiy be no injury to him. A man might use alcohol through long life in such a way as to impose no detriment upon him. self, but experience shows that com paratively few have actually so used it. The use of alcohol, without saying more, adds another to the many risks of life and confers no equal advantage, so that if the individual wishes to eliminate one of the many risks of life he may do so by forego- ing the use of alcohol. But the drink evil cannot be solved by considering the prob lem as it pertains, favorably or unfavoEa- fbiy, 10 tho individual alone Tic 1nutive for solving the problem must be more than a mere balancing of personal experi- ences. The true solution appears only when the individual connects his efforts in behalf of temperance with the welfare of society, when his motive is the benefit to the common life around him.
 Temperance organization for improve ment among those who already entertain temperance convictions may be commend ed for possessing the merit of good ex- ample, but good example merely is too frail weapon to use successfully against the drink evil. A large class of persons of temperance convictions deplore the growth of the drink habit, while they attempt lit- tie to stay its progress except to abstain themselves and clamor for political inter- ference. Has great moral reform been ever won by such methods No problem greater than this has yet presented itself to our people for solution. The existence of chattel slavery, even, was less moment ous, for it was less prevalent, and those who would to-day solve the drink problem may proftably consider the history of the abolition of slavery. The abolition of slav- cry, like the present attempts at temper ance reform, had been sought through the medium of political organization and had failed of success. It failed because the methods, spirit and traditions of politics are unsuited to the work of moral reform. The entry of moral problem into politics excites distrust. Moral issues must be strictly solved, if solved at all, along the line of unchangeable principles. The prac- tices of politics, as we now understand the term, do not conform to great principles {; this is, perhaps, unavoidably true, for the political conduct of nations is necessarily, in great part, a resort to expedients. The disposal In our own country of such ques- tons as the restriction of Chinese emigra- tion, Legislation against the Mormons and tariff revenue reform are sufficient illustra- tions. There are certain ends which may be best gained through the agency of po- liticLl methods and political organization, but the solution of a great moral problem is not one of these. It was by vigorous personal effort, rather than by good ex- ample, and by educating the people up to moral conviction upon the subject, rather than by relying upon political interference, that the abolition of slavery was finally accomplished. When the people had once arrived at the certainty of moral conviction in regard to the enormity of slavery, the solution of that problem, in our country, was assured. The same will be true of the drink traffic when the people have been similarly educated upon the subject
 But while this process of education is advancing some temporary expedient for retarding the progress of the drink evil must be adopted. What shall this regu. lative influence be? An answer to this question leads to consideration of the legal status of the drink evil
 The functions of the law in regard to all human affairs are not primarily to make men better, but to prevent them from mak. ing encroachments upon the rights and peace of others. It is true, too, that law in it's essence is sumptuary that is, it aims to repress the indnlgences and freedom of individuals for the sake of the common welfare. But the proper object of all laws concerning the liquor evil is practical 1; it is to prevent drinking. The best law then is the law which prevents Dsost drinking, not the law which aims only to prevent dtl drinking. The most effective Legislation upon any subject is that which is freest from sentiment and which is not overborne