The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-12-11

been seriously considered as political
matter until the Prohibition party was
formed in the United States. I believe,
also, that the various societies for the
suppression of intemperance have not
done very much toward their object, for
the reason that, only in few cases, do
they reach the "hard cases." and it is
notorious that the societies have great
difficulty with the moderate" drinkers;
so that their membership consists, to a
very considerable extent, of children and
persons temperate or abstemious by edu-
cation, training or by nature.
The Christian church, as usual, has
been talking about heaven and hell in the
future, instead of getting down to the
serious business of life. Itjustified slav-
cry and proved from the Bible that it was
divine institution and, upon similar
lines, it has maintained negative atti-
tude toward the temperance question. 1
believe, however, that there is a change
going over the mind of the Christian peo-
pie of the world in antagonism to the
evil. They see the vile deception of it;
they perceive the gross fraud by which
it is living; they see that it contradicts
the spirit of their Master, who said, ''Be
ye holy;" and of the early preachers of
Christianity, one of whom asked, 'Know
ye not that your bodies are the temple of
the Holy Ghost?'' | believe, in the face
of those words, no Christian can Justify
the use of alcoholic beverages for any
except medicinal uses. For every Christ
ian, at least, by reason of the present
stress, no course is open but total absti-
nence. 1t may be lawful for me to drink,
but, as am my brothers keeper, it is
not expedent for me to do so.
Total abstinence is the personal duty
of every Christian, worthy the name,
who values his influence and who rea-
Lies that Jesus Christ has put him here
in the world to take charge of these little
ones, these simple minded and deluded
victims of drink. Outside of personal
recommendations, have come to value
the following measures, with the men
ton of which | will conclude, as the best
solution at present of this troublous ques-
ton. 1t will be seen that in my solution
there is mixture of political, social and
religious methods:
Enforce the existing laws regulative
of the drink traffic. The government
of our cities is so far under the power of
the liquor interest that | do not look for
much in this line, until the federal gov
nf no
The police of our cities, as at present
managed, are elected and appointed by
the saloon. The remedy of an ineffective
police power is the removal of the police
power from the realm of local politics.
The laws must be enforced. At present,
they are not.
Introduce scientific experts in city gov
eminent into the political life of the
country. The best men are so disgusted
with our municipal government, that
they have excluded themselves actively
from it and have no part in its political
management. They must be brought in );
their Influence must be made to tell.
The drink evil would receive an immense
blow, if men like Seth Low and Andrew
White were publicly connected with the
government of cities. Ignorance is al
ways cowed before science; fraud
would be ashamed for the same reason.
The people should refuse to vote for
emen who do not stand for temperance,
at least, not to mention prohibition, or
for men who will not promise to support
frn lar nfnnnrSn N
people elect men who are in league with
the saloon, there is no deliverance for US.
Ultimately, all the evil is traceable to
the individual voter. 1t is the voter who
yields the power in this country; people
can say what they like to the opposite.
The voters, thereupon, must be made to
feel their responsibility for the condition
of the country. Use what means you
like for this; only let him understand
that he has a weighty weapon in his vote
and that, when corrupted to base uses,
it is an inevitable weapon of destruction
and that he is responsible for the amount
of injury he does with his vote. The
sale of votes, the whole system of brides
must be branded by public sentiment
as unmanly, unAmerican and as devilish.
l have mentioned three political reme-
dies. There are social influences which,
though not dealing with the evil so di-
rectly, are immensely powerful in di-
miniShing it. ''Anything to beat the sa-
LOOM | believe that the church should
enter into open combat with the saloon,
offering attractions which shall be
stronger and fascinating the young,
specially, from the drink den. 1t is my
conviction, gradually formed, that Chris
tianity and the machinery of Christian
ity are social in their nature and they
are in the world for the purpose of ac-
complishing definite social results. This
is not the common idea. The common
idea is that Christianity is IA creed and
the church a society of those elected
from all eternity to go to Heaven. My
plan would be to convert every church
into counter-attraction to the saloon;
to make its lecture rooms ring with the
healthy laughter of boys and girls and
the more solid conversation of the older
men, who meet together socially in its
rooms and parlors as naturally as a sot
seeks the bar room, for the sake of
spending an hour. Our churches, at
least mine is, are shut from Monday
morning to Sunday morning and the sa-
loon wages its successful war six days
of the week and wins the young and the
weak whilst the church is asleep or is
thinking about what takes place after
death. The strongest social agency for
the suppression of the drink evil is a
church alive to the evil and extending