Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1889-08-29
An Old. Old Story.


threadbare to many, which is not settled.
which will not down at our bidding but
in some of Its many phases presents itself (
| continually for our thoughtful considera-
tion. Ii IN one direction something seems
to be accomplished, we have but to look In
another TO see signs Of activity. Just now
| there are evidences of genuine awaken
ing to the terrible evil of the drink traffic.
aud the old. old story of temperance
! crowds to the front for discussion IL has
been mistaken policy which has sent IL
to the background. Like all other moral
questions. and this can be nothing else. /,
has at times been neglected by the people
| Too often this has resulted from the OIL
ctousness of Its would-he champions who
have dictated the line of operations, as
| well a. discussions. and assumed to decide
| who were ana who were not the friends Of
/ the cause. When we rise above this level.
and view the evil as one Of the tremendous
| forces arrayed against all true progress
| We forget to question. and welcome any
reasonable means or measures looking to
the safety of the homes or the protection
| of the dCarcr interests of life Ii is sad
| commentary on public sentiment that its
I influence. the most potent Of all has so
! largely been withdrawn. and the field Of
/ operations left almost entirely to those
| who rest for success on legal cnactmcnts
| and officers of the law. That temperance
| i a great moral question. that the evil of
| drink Is to he checked not at the ballot
box. or In the courts Of justice, but In the
/ uphuilding of the standard OF manhood
seems to nc largely overlooked IL was
/ taught in the earlier days, and throughout
I onr rural districts this Is still the lever
( which keeps the wheel OF progress In mo-
/ tion. Without detractine at all from the
+ worth or importance Of the work accom-.
Pushed by tine pruhihitnry law the poin,
nC would AT iht- timr especially urge Is
( that 4 = not thc ole support T,gi~la-
ttan art~ pc eafiyrly unless there -. puh.
lic opinion 10 make il positive Prohih,-
F tion does not cannot prohibit unless the
people believe in aud enforce it II /, a
dead letter to he made alive by those who
p.arrd Il on the statute books aud their
/ constituents III thi~ state III Maine. pro-
+ Athl'ion prohibits because men ana women
't"licYC IN and praCtir, II. What j. 10 Ne
emphasized nov j. the nerd OF a flrlnrr
. belief In the absolute need OF vital temper
ancc principles among the people In the
aw akcnng to hr ~rcn IN Certain places 20
+ lnng iukewarm. one reads the evidence ~
+ a better public sentiment, anl THU Of IL
! ~fit j. the greatest possible check to the
+ etil Temperance i- not negative. IL j. a
virtue Ia d. cultivated. and that makes il
positive. II j. not believing in law, 1t i
( ising law abiding II j. not resting on
constitutional amendments Or legislative
cis4ctmcnt~ TINT hcjng temperate III
thought WORT and act. II IL 4 mistaken
pnitct that those only are temperate who
drnounce The rum traffic. This l. re-
sfrictcd use uf the term. and one which
fs.f D. Il
monty accepted definition Of the wnrd i.
P"liiica! action IN the line marked ou, by
certain wonld-br lradcr~ Thi- Il alto
.eth.r too imperfect ami unsatisfactory.
Il rrpeis rather than attracts Temper
aucc j. sclf-contrul a. well a control of
others 1t j. the prartlCins nf abstinence
iu relation to those things which mar and
destroy A. well A. the strengthening Of
the social fabric by cheCkin. the drink
csii. X i moral, not political. and when
thl~ thought j. pressed home lo ihc p,q-
I.r. auA kcpt constantly bcfprp them, an
advance " III be made III overcoming ihr
,,rrihlc curse nf III i drinking There J.
r'''d of an aruu~ing to the magnitude Of
30, -ubirCt. IT, many Sides and evil Fl
fo't~ cannot be tnu fnrrihiy presented, but
lar The future spai nf All u IL ID ~, hoped
that thr s..i, eud Nc thr agitation viii not
i.r ~ shut up the saloons This j. 10 b.
-c,arrI. 1. rltl,i bc acromplI shed. hut At
The same time the moral slide OF the Ques-
iiuu must te pr">cuie, eise mea win not
rest When ,hu fever returns The saloons
are to be closed, and Kept closed and 10
secure this greater cnd the worth Of tenn
pyrance must he instllcd into old and
yunng The power of >clf-controi must hc
cultivated. The saloons live IN answer 10
a demand which they, Ia great extent,
keep alive and active. To suppress them
,tfrctuAlly this demand must b. removed
au, This opens the way to the higher work
~ moral education. The streets are 70 hr
made sale primarily by shutting up the
rum shops but III the end they Will remain
,afc just 10 proportion A. those who walk
thereon are temperate IN principle. The
.-sl. of drink j. workin. sad havoc every
here aud for t. suppression every hon
ct voice and hand should be lifted. but
white We suppress BIZ legal measures, re-
IAcmbcT that we lean upon broken reed.
unicSs there follows the moral uplifting Of
ihc thought Of the people, 50 that the sil-
cnt Influence. most potent of all, shall be
for temperance and against the damuing
influence Of the saloons huccfss In TEN
gtrAncc work doc. not rest with pollti-
al parties, with constitutional amend
>urcr foundation " the viii of the people
expressed through public sentiment This
j. the potent factor IN controlling the vic
iaus. and il silent Influence j. stronger
than bars at hult. The evidence Of An
awakening In tAi> respect u tile best sign
III bc read Id tt4r heavens to-day The
4 -uaruity If the curse j. arou~iug 10 the
/ need of IT. suppression. ! he danger HES
. ia -pa>inu,iiC oNtineJit-. and against tn,
Ac should labor. Patient, consistent
+ straightforward effort viii tell fur perna
nrul results. IAc good oi society. u"
happiness ~ ,he huMv~, and the welfare
uf dill calls for iht suppression Of the sa
looms and Il hen the home. aud society
/ come into a realization Of the power vest
: ,d in them the eud Will be accomplished
( Here Is line of action Ia be followed con
+ ,i>tently and consecutvely until the full
4 benefits are TO he seen. Ii does not de-
voiye upon officers " the law but upon
1 the people as individuals. The public
1 pulse must be healthy else nothing perma
nent can be- gained. Let the people but
/ VIII that the saloons must 90, and in pro-
portion as they hold to that determination
will that end Re gained.
In recent letter 70 the BaApor Uhfg,
Rev. A. Battles gives expression to the
| following ringing sentiments in favor Of
the suppression Of the saloons:
/ What interest of society that good men
and women cherish and try TO promote
/ does the saloon advance! Not one. IL is
IA continual menace to everything that
makes for high civilization, II blocks all
true progress. Where il hourishes police
men must be increased, iails, prisons and
insane asylums enlarged. Rich men pat
ronize it and grow poor. Poor men pat
ronize it and their poverty increases.
Healthy men give it their custom and He-
come sick. Sick men walk up to the bars
and hasten their death. Men go into 1t
orderly citizens and come out felons. Kind
husband. pass through It's doors and are
changed to brutes. Afectionate fathers
pour their money into its Golfers and be-
| come cruel to their children. There may
| be no bread at home, but they will have
money for the saloon. Young men begin
to frequent it. and from that day their
start in the road OF shame Is dated.
John Bright once said, If the saloon
should be kept closed for four years In
| England, Englishmen would hardly know
their native land SO if the saloon should
| be closed and kept closed, as 1t may be, in
| Maine four years, there would be such a
change in the order and prosperity of our
State that we should hardly recognize it.
Let the experiment be tried.
Catalogue all the virtues tn It have been
honored among Christian people, and the
| SaIoou il the enemy of them all Make a