Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-04-05
ICommunieaLed.
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.

Communicated
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
Men dodge and evade the temperance
question as if it were venom, and yet 1t
harms no one, but seeks to better man
kind. When the question of temperance
is pressed upon its opponents for an an
swer to their objects, they usually declare
that it is only advocated by few old men
and women, and that it takes away
mans personal liberty also that Probi-
bition does no prohibit
As to tho first excuse, that is childish
and is only a sham of an excuse to be-
little the temperance cause. 10 seems 10
me that al, moral and christian people
should advocate the cause Of temperance
there is no law against it. and 1t does no
one any harm who advocates, practices
or teaches it. 1t is one OF the standards
by which men should both live and die.
1t is beneficial IN life and will not be re-
GREETED in death. II makes better men
and women, better and happier wives,
husbands. fathers, brothers and children.
IL carries a father and mothers good
teachings into practical effect - al ITS
tendencie, are to better the condition OF
mankind, and tree HIM from depravity
and from the grip Of the adversary No
one should object TO the betterment OF the
community in which they live no one
should object to less crime pauperism,
and better boys.
If the advocates Of temperance sought
to depraye humanity, TO lower the moral
condition of our nelghbors and friends, 10
| increase taxation. distress, pauperism ana
crime. then there would be reasonable
grounds for objections, but we seek to do
nothing of this kind, bat to the contrary,
to lessen taxation by way of reducing
crime and its prosecutions; to lessen
pauperism and rebellion to better the
State, the community, the home and the
individual. Now who can object OF why
should there be objection to this If we
look over the country and see the won
derful increase and progress and success
that the temperance question IS meeting
with and which promises to continue we
conclude that there are more advocates
of the question than few old men ana
women, and if not, these few old frames
of humanity are doing a wonderful work
which promises to extend from ocean to
ocean and from border to border.
So far as taking away a mans personal
liberty is concerned, why this Is only
another screen behind which the thief,
the highwayman and the murderer stand.
The thief may claim that this is free
country, and that he is placed IN this
world without a code of restrictions in
his hands, and that he will take anything
he gets his hands on as his ; so also the
highwaymau and murderer. But not 30,
man is placed upon this mundane sphere
with restricted personal llbertios-liber-
ties are not absolute by any means, that
il without a penalty attached. Why
should any act be licensed that has a de-
grading tendency ? Has the State, the
community, the home, OF the individual
been bettered by the granting of retail
license to sell liquors as beverage : II
it improves our men, boys aud our homes
then let's have it, but then on the contrary
if it blights the young man, if 1t degrades
the old man and if 1T destroys happy
home, then away with it. Why not
license man to steal, to murder or to
distress our homes If a house OF iniamy
were TO be licensed for tins county, how
ouick would the moral aud christian peo-
pie of this county raise their voices
against such a depravement Of morality
Now why not do as much 10 Danish the
already existing evil-the saloon.
The excuse that prohibition does not
prohibit is farce. II is true, however
that it does not absolutely prohibit
drunkenness, but it does very materially
lessen il. II also lessons crime, and eX-
penses to prosecute criminals, 10 MAINTAIN
paupers and lunatics occasioned by strong
drink. Laws enacted against MURDER
arson and other crimes do not absolutely
prohibit these crimes from being commit
ted. vet il lessons the number OF crimes
committed, and would anyone free OF such
tendencies favor the abolition Of these
lawsf To convict a man of arson and
give HIM term in the State prison does
not always prevent that man from
repetition Of the same crime. but 1t does
| lessen the number Of Iepetitions that
wonld otherwise occur if there was no
penalty attached TO said crime There
fore we conclude that men have no more
right to sell intoxicating liquors as a
beverage to my SONS, TO my nelghboFs
and my friends aud relatives, to lower
their moral condition, to open an avenue
for crime and depravty, 10 raise my
taxes, to pay towards the Prosecution
and maintenance Of criminals than /
have to open by license place of iniamy
to degrade my neighbors and their chill
dren. FARMER.