The Republican., 1892-05-06


come, which think you of these advo-
Gates of personal liberty" will be the
| first to hear the verdict of the judge
whose sentences are always just?-
May Maple, in Western Rural.
THE SENTIMENT AGAINST RUM.
Indications of Improved Social Conditions
in America.
While tie annual drink bill of the
United States is appallingly large, it
does not represent such great degree
of addiction to intoxicants as the annual
rum expenditure of some other coun-
tries. Great Britain is far worse in this
respect than ourselves. The population
of the United Kingdom, by the census
of 1891, was S7,sSS, 1888; ours, in 1890, Twas
62, ,622, $50. Our annual drink bill is. in
round numbers, $500, 900, 600: the total
sum spent for beer and spirits in the
United Kingdom, during the year 1891,
was S706. $50, 600 - or about $40 per
head, including women and children.
Hence, bad as our case is, Great Britain's
is worse.
There was an increase during 1891 Of
about $4,000. 900 in the total am ount
spent for intoxicants; but the friends of
temperance over there find ground for
hope in the fact that there has 5een a
decided decrease in the amount Of dis
titled liquors used, and an increase in
the quantity of beer. They are hopeful,
also, because they find decrease in the
extent of violent drunkenness. The
total amount spent for beer alone last
year was $4,000, ,o0O-nearly $500, O00,-
900. In commenting upon this, the Lon
don Times says:
1t must be confessed that those s7s,0o0 900 for
beer are figure that it is hard to be proud of.
1t means that down the national throat there
flows enough to provide the country with two
navies and two armies, with the civil service
thrown in--or very nearly so. 1t means that the
beer drunk in one year would pay the interest
on the national debt for three; or If funded for
nine years, it would pay the whole debt and
leave US with no more interest or annuitieS to
pay.
The most hopeful sign, however. of
an amelioration of the drink evil in
Great Britain is the fact that heavy
drinking is becoming questionable in
that country. This may seem a faint
hope to some, but it is more than that.
A century or so ago heavy drinking was
common in the best American society.
We all know the vast change for the
better that has been worked in this
matter among our own people. Great
Britain is little slower than we are,
that is all Then fashion is most po-
tent leader. When her decree is given
against drinking, it is very apt to be
obeyed-far more so than the mandate
of the law. Within the past fifteen or
twenty years, it has frequently been re-
marked, there has been an enormous
improvement in habits regarding drink
at the national capital, especially in of.
fetal life. A similar change has been
going on in all our large cities.
In point of fact, the signs of the
times all go to show that intemperance
is steadily being excluded from the
educated and refined portion of our
complex American social life, except
among citizens of foreign birth The
time is rapidly coming when the habit
of intemperance in. the United States
will be confined to the ignorant and un-
educated classes. All higher in the
SoSioA SSdAC Will dNOlu II. he social
ban will be upon the drinking man
not as mere whim of fashion, but as q
decree founded on knowledge of the
evils of drink. and on a recognition OF
the fact that the man who yields to his
appetite is weak and unworthy OF
recognition as social equal by men
controlled by reason and intelligence.
Then will remain the problem:
What shall be done to save the ig.
norant and uneducated class from this
vice?" This, however. is but part OF
the problem that is before us as a re.
public, and in whose solution the con.
tinuance of our government of the
people by the people for the people"
must depend No form of popular
government can exist in perpetuity un-
less the voters have reasonable
amount of education and intelligence:
and here is the point to which we wish
to invite special attention-the degree
of educated intelligence needed to
maintain free government is up to the
plane on which men become their own
masters, and can be led to see the evils
of the drink habit. So the problem OF
saving the ignorant classes from rum
becomes but part of the much wider
hlatr, af he r.