Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-29
HOW TO CURE DRUNKENNESS,
There's No Use Trying to Destroy
Alcoholic Liquors.
THE MERITS OF MODERATION.
These Must BE Instilled Into the
Minds of Men Before the Problem
Can Be Solved-The Scnti-
ment in New York.
Prohibition and Temperance.

We trust that our extreme prohibi-
ZIONIST friends have read the statement
of DR.. Albert Day, the superintendent
Of the Washington home, concerning
the various methods by which people
CRAFTY their desire for Intoxicating
beve RACES, says the Boston Herald. He
said the odium which attaches to the
use of alcohol has led many people to
devise original methods OF securing the
effect of inebriety without subjecting
themselves to the charge Of using alco-
hol; consequently the use of outlandish
and sometimes deadly drugs is terribly
on the increase. This bears out the
opinion that we have repeatedly as
serted. that temperance is not to be Sc
cured by prohibiting the use OF any
particular intoXicant; that, In large
degree, liquor drinking is au effect and
not cause, the cause being the desire
people have to intoXicate them
| selves, or, at least, to stimu-
late their physical systems. Hence,
if the ordinary Intoxicating beverages
now in use were entirely destroyed and
the knowledge of the manufacture was
| lost, some other means of obtaining
| similar physical results would be de-
vised, and the curse of intoXication
would still exist. We have insisted
| upon this view of the case, for the rea-
| son that we believe that an enormous
| amount of precious time and human
| energy has been wasted in attempting
| to correct an effect when the work
| should have been applied to an at
tempted correction of a cause. What
| we need is to stimulate in the minds OF
| men belief in the merits of modera-
| tion. We need to cultivate public
| opinion in all classes of society that
| will hold in adherence the man who so
| far disgraces manhood as to become in
toxlcated. When one takes into ac-
count that in the early years of this
century it was considered no disgrace
| by the most estimable individuals to
I now and then become the worse for
| drink; that some of the best christians
| were distributors Of rum; that at gath
| erings even of ministers of the gospel
large quantities of hard liquor were
| consumed, one can see that a great
change has taken place---a change
which, two generations ago, would have
| been looked upon as impossible. And,
in view of all that has been done, it
| seems to US not only probable,
but certain, that wisely directed efforts
| can bring about even greater changes
| in the future. 1t is in this direction
that we believe the work Of reform
should be turned. The true remedy is
to be found not in the suppression of
/ liquor, but in the suppression of the
now too prevalent desire to drink. BY
working on this line it might be pos
sible to bring about--what assuredly
cannot be accomplished by prohibition
"a state of society in which liquor
could be obtained by all who chose to
ask for it, yet in which no person would
! drink to excess.
Says the Weekly New York Mail and
| Express: AT the request of the temper
ance people the republican party of
New York pledged itself TO submit
prohibitory constitutional amendment
to the people. The first step in that di-
rection was taken last year, and the
legislature to be elected in November
next must decide the question finally.
The request was based upon the situa-
tion as it then existed, which lead many
TO believe it would be adopted if
submitted, and others that the canvass
for it would be an excellent edu-
Gator. But the situation has under
gone material changes, and, in conse-
quence, the Northern Christian Advo-
cate and other leaders of temperance
sentiment no longer favor submission.
One of these changes is that the last
four votes on prohibition have not only
been defeats, but disastrous ones; and,
as each one has been worse than its
predecessor, it is evident that the
cause cannot be promoted by courting
more of them. Instead of rushing for
ward with crazy recklessness, it is bet
ter to call halt, and do the prelimi-
nary work which all sensible men now
see must precede a successful advan ce.
Another important change is that, for
it's own aggrandizement, the so-ca,led
prohibition party has practically de-
cided not to allow amendment cam
paigns to be conducted hereafter on
non partisan lines. The attempt to
openly utilize such opportunities for
partisan purposes was first made in
Pennsylvania, but, after doing an in
calculable amount OF harm, it was
finally abandoned there. However, the
state committee OF that party in Con-
chairman OF its national committee,
and before the Pennsylvania vote, de-
cided to. organize and conduct
a campaign in Connecticut as
II party, and did this against
the known wishes OF nine-tenths
of the friends of the amendment. This
decision was heralded as "a new de-
parture," and met with such hearty
approval from the third party press as
to make it clear that it is to be here
after it. settled policy. The inevitable
consequence OF this action will be that
the members of other parties who ad =
vocate and vote for amendments will
to some extent at least, strengthen this
prohibition party parasite upon the