Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-01-12
The Educational Column.
]. I. Dun1, Co. sups, Falling Waters WA,
GREAT EVILS in SOCIETY.

Evils In society are those elements
which prevent it from being placed
upon a higher plane physically. in.
teilectually and morally. There are
many such evils existing IN our midst
and we are almost unconscious of
the influence which they ale daily
and hourly producing. For want of
space, | shall mention but two OF
these evils,-ignorance and intem-
perance. The first kind is class
that can neither read nor write; and
we are almost astounded when con.
fronted by the undeniable fact that
within our little mountain State
there are eighty-five thousand three
hundred and thirty-six persons who
belong to this class. Such people as
these are not actors in this ever
changing world of ours, but tools
through which the cunning and oft
times unprincipled man carries into
effect his desired object. The man
who cannot read goes to the polls
and deposits his ballot, he knows
not for whom or what he is voting,
and many times votes against his
own interest and that of society.
The second kind is class of people
that is more dangerous than the one
mentioned. OF this class there are
about fifty-six thousand three hun
dred and fifty six persons, who dwell
among the grand old hills of W. Va.
This class can both read and write,
but instead of occupying their valu-
able time reading useful books, and
nourishing their minds with sub.
stantial literature, they overload it
with indigestible matter that is con-
tanned in trashy novels and roman
ces. This kind of reading is not so
perilous in any one direction, but
equally so in all. 1t weakens the
mind, gives false, distorted, and ex
aggerated views of life, contradicts
the true perspective of history, and
acts upon the mind precisely as
dram-drinking does upon the body,
-disqualifying it for sober thought.
Such men as these, ignorant of the
laws of our nation, their relation to
their fellow men, and their duty to
the State, filled with romantic ideas,
and a longing to write their names
high up on the pinnacle of fame, are
daily and hourly encouraging strikes,
causing riots, and are leaders of our
socialistic bands. For ii representa-
tive of this class, | would point you
to the blow that was struck in Chi.
cago in Nov. 1886, that swept over
our nation like an earthquake wave
and made our government quake to
its very centre.
The second great evil which
shall mention is intemperance'
When we analyze the strong drink
of to-day we find that it contains
8 pc: cent. to 20 per cent. pure wits
key and from 80 to 90 per cent. OF
poison. The first question that is
suggested to every thinking man is
not what will the world think and
SAY of me, but what effect will this
poison produce upon my own organ
isn't Secondly, what effect does il
have upon my familyf And thirdly
what will the world think and say o.
me? What is the effect of this pois
on upon the sysem 7 1t attacks thu
vital organs, thickens the mucul
membrane of the alimentary cana
and disqualifies it TO: its active
work. 1t destroys the delicate tbs
sue of the brain, causes fatty and
inactive heart. 1t affects the nerve!
and leaves a man physical wreck
But this is not all, the progeny in
, herit thirst for strong drink ant
! are physically-a weaker race of be
ings. When We peruse the pages
of history and find that 10000 PEG
pie in the q. S. go down to drunk
} ards graves every year, and that 2
per cent. OF all the insanity IN tb'
) world is caused directly or indirect
ly by strong drink; what create
curse can there be to society thai
this +? Regarding it from financia
stand point, we find that it is an i'm
position upon the people. Statistic
show that there is a direct tax o
sixty million dollars paid out eacl
T year by the American people fo
strong drink, while the indirect ta'
/, is equally as great.
Again the influence of intempel
ance upon the morals caunot b
; over. estimated. Man is a social be
: ing and as such bears relation &c
his fellow man, to the state and to hi
: Creator; not unfrequently do we SCI
! men who are honest, industrious, in
telligent and patriotic citizens, give
to strong drink, and thus they ar
disqualified to fill the responsible
positions in life which they nigh
+ otherwise have filed. We see tina
> ignorance dwarfs the intellect; in