The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-21
sEDLAn oUrDoSE.

SELDOM, II ever, has there been more
Incorporate assemblags OF men and wo-
men Witnessed In the United States. than .
portion 1t least, and apparently goodiy
majority. Of what the participants were
pleased to call the National Temperance
Congress which held sessions in New York
on the 18th and 18th Of the current month.
The preannounced object OF this congress
was Ito discuss the most effective means Of
promoting Temperance and dealing with
the evils Of the liquor traffic" The a.
semblags comprised goodly sprinkiing Of
ministers Of the gospel and professional
educators.
Az general proposition il were but fair
to assume that . temperance congress,
convened to ''dlscuss" the best means for
promoting social reform, would BE- tem-
psrats In it, manner and tolerant in its
spirit Of dealing with honest differences;
and With 80 large an infusion OF divines
and trained schooimen. charitable judg-
ment - TO the honesty Of differing opin-
ions was to Be expected. But . large ma.
jority of those present were for prohibition
and nothing else. With clamocous outcry
they vindictively assailed and denounced
ell who. however modes,ly and temper
ately. ventured to question whether pro-
hibition Is the only or the best .means OF
promoting" etc. Anyone who dared to
hint that there b or can be . distinction or
. difference between temperance and total
abstinence. was bounced upon and meta
phorically pummeled as spy" and an
''unprincipled emissary OF the rum SELL
ers"
From beginning 10 end IL was msnifest
that in the opinion Of . msjority-among
whom many OF the divines and teachers
were most conspicuous-a discussion of
the best mems meant and could only mean
that prohibition Is the best means. And
as . corollary OF this that any one who TO
any extent uses . stimulant must use il
intemperately. and that all who are disposed
to promote temperance by any other than
prohibition methods are inclined to drunk
enness or secret friends OF the saloon men.
But the climax Was reached when the
Rev. Joseph Cook and the Hon Henry
Clay Bascom secured the floor and mani
tested their devotion to Temperance In all
things" Identifying themselves with the
martyrs Of old and the anti slavery agitat-
ors of our own country, with an excess OF
bedlami,e oratory they raved about an ap-
peal 10 the musket to maintain their cause
In the unequal warfare with the rum
poser. They did not stop to consider that
they and those who doubt the wisdom of
their remedy are commingled In every
community; that they on frequent tests
have been proven 10 be Overwhelmingly
ousnumbercd, and that they could hardly
expect to obtain an exclusive control OF all
the muskets in the country. or necessarily
more expert than others in masketry
practice.
But the simple suggestion that in any
emergency the muskes may be the most
effective means OF promoting temperance. /.
or that In any event people are to be shot
down who do not accept prohsb i,ion as the
hes. and only means. shows how unas
those speakers are for leadership or partic-
ipation in q reform movement which, with
such expressions and actions as were char.
aeseristic OF that congress. can have even
faint hope Of success. However earnest
and seslous they may be. and however
welded TO the idea that theirs Is the best
and only way. they mast learn to temper
their assumptions of infsilibili,y and 10
make believe" at least. that others who
hold different opinion may at least be
honest and candid. and possibly right On
that line they will have . much better
chance Tor success than by musket prac-
tee, viiupesa,ion or intolerance. They
must be temperate