The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-04-15
w. G. g. u. Column.

Among all the evils that have re-
suited from the unbridled lusts Of man.
kind, We believe that to no one source
can there be traced more of crime and
wretcheduess in their varied phases.
than to the indulgence in intoxicating
drinks. Practical evidences Of this
are to be seen on every hand. They
have been pictured in colors, none too
strong by the pens of ready writers, and
the tongues of earnest men and women
who have labored 10 inform the ignorant
to alarm those who were being drawn
into the dangerous snare, and if possible,
to reclaim those who have become the
victims Of intemperance. Were I to
recount but few among the many
instances of the blighted hopes of loving
parents. of the wretchedness and shame
endured by devoted wives and innocent
children, were I to attempt to estimate
the heavy burdens which have been
entailed upon the community. in giving
reliei to the neglected family of the
drunkard; in providing police force
which is mainly necessary for protect
ing his sober fellow citizens from his
acts Of violence; or the courts which
are largely occupied in hearing and dis
posing of the charges brought against
him; or the jails that are mainly needed
to confnc and punish him for his riot
out doing; were | to dwell upon the
loss to the same community that has
resulted from wasted health and talents
which would otherwise have fitted men
for posts Of honor and usefulness. /
should only be reiterating What has
been often well said and concerning
which little has been left for us to add
that could present in any new or stronger
light the direful results OF intemperance.
While desiring not to array the fearful
statistics from various reliable sources
we are aware of tho fact that men are
prone to forget or ignore those public
evils with which they have grown
familiar and which from their very
nature they may have come to regard
as inevitable. We may call attention
to the alarming extent which intemper.
ance has reached and the deep hold it
has gained upon the community. AS
compared with human slavery in our
own country. by which but one-tenth
Of its population was thereby brought
into bondage and less than one half its
territory directly affected, the scourgc
Of lntemperancc enters almost every
town and hamlet in the land and
destroys not only the bodies but the
souls of men. In the late war our
nation is said to have sacrificed more
than million lives and three billions
of dollars to support the liquor traffic, it
is computed from authentic sources
that the people of the United States
expend annually six hundred millions
of her dollars and waste untold wealth
besides by the impoverishment of her
citizens and the destruction of their
health. Judge Allison Of Philade lphia
said in speech delivered at public
meeting, "Intemperance is upon our
right hand and left; on the streets north
south, east and west We see the lines to
destruction. There are few people who
see the practical evil as we see it in the
criminal courts of this city. There we
can trace four-Gfths Of the crimes that
are committed to ths influence of rum;
there is not one case 10 twenty where
man is tried for his life 10 which rum
is not the direct or indirect cause of
the murder, rum and blood go hand in
hand"
The city Of Philadelphia has for q
number Of years been made the special
prey to the ravages Of the liquor traffic
And the result is that there are now
more than Eve thousand licensed places