, 1889-12-26
TEMPERANCE REFORM.

uc movement Oh tIle UIsuIltCteU
members of the w. c. II. u. In issu-
ing call to the Christian women of
the land for sympathy and support
I'm their efforts to organize a new ma
tional body upon non-political,
non-sectarian basis has every ap-
pearance of being worthy in every
sense of the word.
There are thousands who have no
sympathy whatever with an effort
to arouse public sentiment in the
matter of temperance reform; there
are thousands of others who are fa-
natics upon the subject, and would
even go so far az to abolish the use
of alcohol in the arts and stimulants
in cases of sickness; there Is still an
other class who would pose as re-
formers for the sake of polit-
ical advancement and person.
al acknowledgements. Besides all
these, there are thousands
who are indifferently Indifferent,
and thousands of others who are
sincerely using all possible efforts to
warn the young and rescue the
fallcn.n
To thoughtful and we'll bal
anced minds the indiscriminate use
of alcoholic stimtllants is an unmiti-
gated evil, carrying in its wake
poverty, death and desolation. But
there they draw the line. 1t is u
question of expediency. The pub
lie demand the product of the
still, and ten thousand laws and re-
strictions will not prevent them
from having it. Like all other lines
of business this traffic is sustained
by the law of supply and demand,
and upon that basis it must con-
tinue to stand. If an evil, it is an
inevitable one. The question with
our Lawmakers is how best to regu-
late 1t, and experience has proved
that the high license system is by far
the most preferable and satisfactory.
The liquor seller is not criminal in
the eyes of the law, in any sense,
because he supplies public de-
mand. Man is free moral
agent, and resents any inter-
ference with his natural rights.
Friends may warn him of
the consequences of his folly, but
the choice Is, and must necessarily
be, his own.
Whenever public sen 'iment de-
mands the entire abolition of the
liquor traffic, then it will have to
go. But, under the present condi-
tions of human nature and environ
ment such II prospect is not to be
hoped for. The sincere workers for
Temperance reform have wasted
much of their time and effort In the
vain endeavor to secure legisla-
ton prohibiting this traffic.
They have been mistaken,
however sincere, for they
have started from wrong and
Illogical premises. Law follows pub
licrsentiment, and Gully that which
is demanded ia the strength of a
concensus of opinion is likely to be
obtained.
The whole field of effort for tenn
peranoe reform il in the awakening
of irdividual sentiment, not in agi-
tgoion for legislation. The young
should be taught to shun the de-
stroyer, and warned of the conse-
quences of yielding, and every ave
nue. of hope and help should be held
out to those who have started on the
downward road.
The work of the Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union, under the
management of Miss Willard, has
been largely I'm the wrong direction.
The women who are originating the
new movement are doubtless sin
cere, and their efforts should be
heartily seconded, If along the lines
of common sense, logic and the true
betterment of mankind.