Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-01-17
SPEcIoUs ARGUMENTS.


writes us as follows: Z
am greatly interested in the brave and {
noble stnnd you have taken 10 'Pulverize the I
Rum Power" but this Temperance move ,
ment presses on towards its final triumph,
new obstacles will be continually thrown in
it's way. Here are two questions which have
been propounded and | would be pleased IL
you would discuss them through the Blades
columns.
They say: chow does it come If strong
drinks are so destructive, that the Germans,
who drink more beer and distilled liquors
than any other nation, are the he1lthiest
people? In olden times, when peoplSsrank
more beer and whisky (this was in Norway
and swedsn) the men we're giants in strength,
and the people were stouter and healthier
| than now?'
We infer that there is q general cir
culation Of the statement embodied
in these questions throughout Iowa,
Kansas and Nebraska, as they have
been made to us before. 1t is
hard to say whether those who cir
culate them believe them or not.
Those 70 whom they are propounded
should at once pose the questioner
by asking for the proof, as to
the first question, that the Germans
are 1.-THE healthiest people''-a state
ment untrue in fact; and regarding
the second, by asking for the proof
that the Scandinavians OF ancient
times drank either whisky or beer
similar to the beer OF the present; for
proof that the mass OF that people
I were either stouter or healthierS IN
now: and that there ever was giant
, in strength among them. You will
r be surprised to find that they can
give no proof OF any one of these
. things. The reason is this: They
are not true in the specific sense in
/ which they are asserted in these
n questions. We challenge any one TO
: produce the proof of the truth OF the
4 Insertions in the questions submit
4 ted by our correspondent.
o Some general discussion of facts
A that are often lost sight of by both
;. the advocates of Temperance and
their opponents will be found useful
, in this connection. First, with re-
q gard to the drinking habits of the
10 people of Germany. The Germans
Q, imbihe but comparatively very little
II OF distilled liquors; their drinks are
"a beer and light wines. They use them
q as we use tea and cofiee-drinking
10 them with their meals, and not
3. taking them on an empty stomach.
They do not drink as Americans do
-swill down glass after glass within
no n few minutes. The drinking ismod'
~ crate compared with that to which
N we are accustomed in America.
IN Az to the Scandinavians 1.-THE peo-
n ple OF Norway and Swedenl, it is alb
as surd to quote the legendary stories
rh of their heroes of a semi-histori'
=. period as sober truths. The early
history of all nations shows the
nd idenlizntion that seems inevitable il
he the process OF handing down stories
nv of the prowess and courage OF an
- cestors. Such stories always in
in crease in the telling, and never di
M minish. The doings of n brave maj
.er are magnified in the course of gen
erations until they become imposs
bic to a man of ordinary strength
mo and stature; and then the enlarge
IN ment goes on by representing the ht
The no as a giant in size and strength
mi Again, the old Scandinayians kne'
,rs nothing Of whiskey or any other dii
me- titled liquors. They drank rud
;ng kind of beer, OF which but two thing
Ler are certain: One, that it must hay
win been a horrid slop, and the othe
that il could not, from its mode ,
manufacture, have contained nearl
nti- as great n per cent. OF alcohol Q
NJ modern malt liquors. /,
,im The fact must never be lost slgf
n of, in estimating the value of fac
bearing on the Temperance questio
that the climate of the country, Il
mode of life, the occupations al
surroundings OF the people all ha'
an important bearing on the effe
nun of alcoholic liquors upon them. 4
two people OF a country with col
hat damp climate like that OF Great Br
,lor1 ain, Scandinavia and Northern 81
\ M many. can drink with less harmi
red results than can the inhabitants
was n dry climate (such as ours) or
was any hot country. As regards oct
The nation, the backwoodsman, who
attn life is passed in the open air, c
red drink for years n quantity OF liqu
dies that would kill n city resident.
the example is no rule for the dyspep
red, clerk whose whole life, practically
PIPER spent in-doors--the day in the st'
,ame or Office, the night in his room-w
CIV. a lack OF fresh air and active ex
wore tcie.
hoes The point is settled beyond deb'
white shat the use of rum in any form
civ. sooner or later, harmiulto the dri
CAV err that the harm in any liquor is in
was rect proportion to the quantity of
iven, cohol contained in IL, and to
white amount drank; and that the stel
Q on drinking of any alcoholic drinl
Ioing even worse than periodical drink
% try that IL, the man who puts alco
into his system every day by dri