The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1889-08-10

problem had a great many phases,
aud that il was not 50 snro as they
had sometimes thought that they had
foHnl au iniaIEible way OF solving 1t
down in Maine. 1t Is safe to say
t,a. neither clergyman 0 layman
was 30 mach shocked as Wenld
otherwise have been the case when
q little later they toAnd the Eplsco-
pal bishop Of Rhode Island earnest
iy tasorins the abolition of the
prohibition amendment from the
Constitution Of that State, and Gu
lnlciug the argument by such Incl.
dents as these "a friend of mine
whose business requires him to enter
houses Tor sanitary purposes told me
that he wac amazed at the number
ot kitchen bar-rooms which had
sprnng up. Il rector told me that
bis Fcclory had become very underla-
nle, becau.c OF lie number Of meu
and women passing by at all hours
for The purpose of visiting these
Kitchen saloons. An excellent Irish.
Woman works in my family, and ahe
told nc she was very sorry because
OF the law, and / asked her why.
She said when her husband would 60
| on 4 time before, she knew in what
saloon to find hun; but now, on ac-
count Of these kitchen bar rooms, she
didn't know where he was" .
There are signs that the thorough
discussion OF prohibition which has
ocen going 90 in this country for
some years, and which has now
eliminated in the decisive rejection
OF The policy. viii bear fruit in u
growing conviction that the province
OF law i'll the promotion Of temper
ancs has Of late years been unduly
exalted. Il law which says that
there shalt he no SALOONS may or may
not diminish intoxication in any
particular community, the issue de-
pending upon many considerations
which, vary in different places but
what will surely diminish intoxica-
ton in any community is to bring
up boys so that they will not become
druukurds. The Maine traveller
found that boys in a foreign coun-
try did not necessarily become
drunkards because they we're brought
up to drink wine, but that docs not
prove that it is the best plan to
bring up tic average American boy
to drink wine. The Rev. DR.. Lyman
Abbott Of the Christian Union, who
has a refreshing way of saying what
he thinks, was SO much impressed
last year By the real German beer
garden. as it actually exists in Bcr-
lin, that he wrote to his paper that
be believed it would be a good
thing for the United States if
American cities could have tae in
stitution under similar condition,
but he knows ps we'll as anybody
else that the beer -garden Of Berlin
has not vet been trausplauted to
New York, or even Milwaukee, aad
that it seems doubtful whether it
ever eau be domesticated ia an
American city. DIR. Abbott some
time ago pointed oat the noteworthy
fact that Jesus Christ was a "moder,
ate drinker" in a day when there
was a strong prohibition party sup
ported by some Of his tetal.abstin.
cnce friends. which he WAS vainly
urged to join, and the editor Of the
Christian Union himself anticipates
time when wine will be generally
used in moderation as a beverage;
but at pr, sent he gives it as his
opinion that the wiser course for
most people is the path Of total
abstinence, while conceding to every
body the right of private judemen,
in the matter, and insisting upon
freedom from eensure for the man
who, with q good conscience, fol.
lows in the nineteenth century the
example set by the founder of Chris.
tiaulty in the first.
Upon one policy all good people
can agree, and that is the organiz
ing of public sentiment against
drunkenness. Too much energy has
hncn wasfnd In ahusinn tho MN