The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-02-11


serted that the social customs of Wash.
ington were responsible for much Of
the evil resulting from the use of intox-
icating drinks. Men and women, he
said were tempted beyond what they
were able to bear. lost their moral ball
ance, and drifted into lives of sin. He
knew of mo other city in the country
where there was so much wine drink
ing"
This Is unfair, and untrue. Nearly
everyone of our priests and pastors has
denied the truth of the statement made,
mainly because it is an exaggcration.
An Episcopal rector, who has long resid-
ed here, says: st seems to me not only
unfair, but impossible, to institute
comparisons between cities in regard to
matter like intoxication, of which it is
SO difficult to obtain accurate statistics.
Excessive drinking takes many forms,
some of which never show themselves
to casual observer. Though / have
seen many cities of the United States I
have intimate acquaintance with only
one besides the city of Washington. So
Tar as external appearances go, there
Is certainly much less intemperance to
be seen in the streets of Washington
than is visible publicly in New York city.
Aside from inherited tendencies, the
| two chief causes of fintemperance among
ordinary men seem to be idleness and
want. great many of the poor resort
| to drink because they are in want of
| good sustaining food. Certainly there is
much less OF this sort of drinking in
Washington than in any other cities in
this country"
| That last sentence contains more
than modiculn of truth. 1t seems to
cover the case completely. There is
very little enforced idleness and conse-
quent want in this city. Only those
who will not work are idle and pcnni-
less. The seat of government being
here, and over one and u half million
dollars being disburscd here every
month, gives US considerable of circu-
lating medium in excess of the amount
usually available in cities of equal
population. Hence, there is less idle
ness and want here than in other
cities. Consequently there is less
drunkenness.
ment was made by a prominent man
says q Catholic priest who has been
travelling in the west for some time.
Statements of that character have
given Washington an undeservedly bad
name. While travelling / have been
grieved to hear exaggerated and un-
warranted statements made against the
social customs of the capital. Every
/ patriotic American should have the
reputation of this city at heart, and be
| guarded against making destructive
criticisms which are calculated to be-
little the national capital in the opin-
ions Of the people of the country"
! While denouncing and refuting tho
allegations concerning the condition of
social and official circles in this particu-
lar, am constrained to admit that
there was much original foundation for
the thought of the country concerning
the tipping habit in Washington. Be-
fore the war, during and Immediately
after that struggle, it was customary
and not unbecoming for men to drink
freely, deeply and sometimes excessive
ly. It was almost always expected,
when gentlemen were introduced for
one or both of them to follow the intro
duction with an invitation to take a
drink at some bar. A well-known
newspaper man who has been here for
many years, recently said to me: Gen.
Rawlins and were here as army Off
GERS, in common with many others,
with nothing to do but draw pay for
Geveral years after the war, and we
played billiards four or five hours every
day, just to kill time. Between games,
we were constantly meeting friends
and being introduced to newcomers
here, with the result that acquired
the drinking habit, which has chung to
me ever since and mininlized my useful
ness. am glad TO be able to say. how
ever, that there is ninety per cent. less
drinking in this city now than there
was twenty-five years ago."
My own experience here corroborates
and emphasizes that statement. The
growth of the temperance sentiment
throughout this country has been kept
pace with by the growth of a similar
sentiment in this city. The temper.
ance workers throughout the republic
"4ay ohthh Noa anu Jake courage, Iof
every effort put forth by them in their
own communities has a reflex influ.
ence upon the social life of the govern.
mental city. Members of congress,
senator's, cabinet ministers and all pub.
lie officials here feel that the eyes ol
the people are upon them; and they
know that the hearts of the people ar,
inclined towards sobriety and temper
ancc. SMITH D. Fry.
A Grammar Needed.