The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-07-17
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
REFORM THAT REFoRMs..

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REFORM THAT REFORMS.
q Fian Which II Properly Carried Out
Would Accomplish Wonders.
It there were no dram drinkers there
could be no saloons; therefore dram
drinkers are responsible for all the evil
done by saloons = and more. Every
man and woman who uses intoxicating
liquor of any kind as beverage, no
matter whore, or in what amount, is .
dram drinker. and shares this response
bility. Every purchase is direct con-
tribution to the treasury of tho liquor
power; every known indulgence
strengthens the sentiment hatsustains
and spreads the habit; and it's potency
for evil ie greatest when the example is
set by those who move in the higher
circles of society and are able to exer-
else self control. The drink habit is .
fountain of woes for which saloons are
reservoirs and conduits. Destroying
reservoirs may defect or diminish with
ont stopping the stream, but dry up the
fountain and reservoirs and distribute
ing pipes become useless, and dams and
dikes unnecessary.
A Nero return to moral suasion
methods will not suffice. The greater
part of the time and money heretofore
devoted to Tempe rance work has been
wasted. To illustrates: I once heard q
good man, as. he dropped exhaustedly
into a chair, inform committee that he
had been ''laboring hard all day for
the cause" and inquiry developed the
fact that his time had been spent
'1abofing" with eighteen Temperance
mon, two incorrigible dramsellers and
one drinker. Tens of thousands OF
public meetings have been held
with none but Temperance people
In attendance, and, consequently no
visible results. 1t will not do to merely
offer pledges at meetings which drinking
men and women carefully avoid. In
some way it must be ascertained who
these drinkers are and, when they de-
cline to come to us, zoe must go to them.
Furthermore, and equally important,
we should be careful not to repel them
by demanding greater sacrifices than
are needed.
1t is not possible to ascertain who are
for or against a reform by guessing.
Millions of men and women, supposed
by their Temperance friends to be total
abstainers, are in fact tipplers The
best, If not the only way to properly
prepare for the needed work, is to d.
vide cities, towns and counties into
small districts, and have lists made for
each containing the names of every
resident over ten years old Gust as the
politician does with the voters of each
precinct). Then, proclaiming that
the purpose is to make each district as
nearly as possible ''solid for total
abstinence" circulate pledges and
check every signer. Many names can
be procured at public NEE tings, but the
greater number will probably have to
be obtained by personal solicitation.
Separate lists should also be obtained of
the members of all churches, lodges,
and other societies, labor unions and
employees in large establishments, and
especial efforts put forth to make each
body ''solid for total abstinence"
While some workers would take
selected names for personal visitation,
others should go Systematically from
house to house and shop to shop. OF
course, the names of those who are al
ready in favor of Temperance, and those
who can be most easily influenced
would soon be secured, and, as the
movement progressed, many who
refused at first would decide to ''help
make it unanimous" for, when public
sentiment in favor of great humanitarian
movements becomes aroused, and
organized, its power to persuade, con-
vince and awe is tremendous. AS the
good work went on, and its results be-
came manifest, the really human souls
that would not be melted by the fer
vent heat of enkindled humanity would
be rare indeed.
At all times, the "Phalanx" idea
shoulder to shoulder, in hollow squares
about tho Nations homes, with every
weapon leveled at their defiling and de-
stroying foe-should be kept in mind,
and the 'Phalanxes" should be COM
posed of 'Temperance Volunteers. :"
10 succeed, this holy work must COM
mence in and draw it's chief support
from the church, which. to that end,
must first purge itself Few ministers
nave even a faint conception OF the num-
Der of tipplers now ON their rolls, and,
as the world can not be lifted onto a
higher plane than the church prepares,
the saloon will continue to flourish
until the wine collars under the church
of God are closed, and the odor of alco-
hol is banished from it's sanctuary
1t is admitted that the suggested plan
would require great deal of work; but
can the desired results be secured with
less? And are they not we'll worth what
they would cost? Do we really desire
the redemption of the Nation? If so, our
plans must be as broad as the evil that
we seek to suppress, and, after all, each
set of workers will only have to Guilt
vate their own small field. The most
difficult part of the whole business is to
make the start.-Albert Griffin.