The American citizen. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1888-1909, 1889-01-18
OF VERY GREAT IMPORTANCE

DR.. Lorimer on Temperance Reform-The
Hard and Awful Struggle of Men Fight
u: Against the Drink Habit.
The fact that many questions have
become exceedingly commonplace is at
least an inference if not a proof
that they are matters of very cOnsid-
cradle Importance. That subject be-
comes irrepressible as we'll as COM
1nonplace should serve as hint to
wise men that while they may post
pone dealings with it, it is only post
ponement at best; and the true wisdom
would be fair and faithful dealing
with the matter without delay. If it
be true that there are more than $780,
600 drunkards in America, and that
figure is probably largely under rather
than over the awful truth-then we
have sad condition of things. that it
would be as unpatriotic as it would be
1nhuman to ignore With all our
teeming millions we can not afford the
loss OF 5000 men. Indeed the word
loss does not begin to represent the
case. If 100000 men were left dead
upon some field Of honor, the Nation
would bow her head and weep over
their graves. They would be lost 10
the Nation forever more, save as
a sacred memory. But of this other
800, 1000, who are living death in life,
whose days are misery and whose
nights are despair, whose every breath
Sc cfo ~rhA :
dark and desolate and sad, what of
this unhappy host? Are they not
wore than loss to the Nation? Are
they not sorrow, q sadness and a
shame?
Americas chief wealth has always
been in her mon. Her mines, her
! cornfelds and her cotton plantations,
have been as nothing compared with
her larger and richer wealth of men.
And that any plague should come to
change the glory OF 800, men to
disgrace is terrible. In the presence
of such facts, the worst fanaticism of
the most extreme of the advocates OF
Temperance is not only pardonable,
but positively virtuous. In the pres
ence of real calamity we bow with
more or less submission. But such q
self-infiictcd scOurge as intemperance
demands the gravest solicitude of all
| gentle and patriotic men.
1t is perhaps very difficultto say any
thing new on this well-worn subject,
but DR.. Lorimer on Sunday evening
last spoke some weighty words on this
| matter that deserve much cOnsidera-
ton. We should not judge him to be
a member Of the Prohibition party, and
| vet he thinks the Nation should be as
busy making manhood as making rail.
road. But he has more confidence In
the work of earnest men and tender.
gentle women than in any other agency.
He does not waste time in abuse Of sa-
loon-keepcrs. he goes rather to the
heart OF the matter and lays the whole
trouble in solemn burden on the
hearts and corfsciences of all right.
minded men and women.
One special point he made not often
heard from the lips Of Temperance
| men. and that was most paLneLlC
reference to the hard and awful strug-
gle of men who were fighting against
the habit of drink. He INDUCED in nc
idle sentiment. but he spoke with such
earnest pity that any man listening tC
him who was victim OF this dreadful
curse could not but take heart o.
grace and fight with greater hope and
courage Heroism in drunkards strug
Cling to free themselves from drink i:
a new kind of argument on the tenn
perance platform. DR.. Lorimer ha.
struck a vein that needs we'll working
If people knew the terrible character
of the conflict they would speak more
gently of the erring, and the confic
would oftener end in victory. Chicago
Saturday EreHin0 Herald