Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-07-12
TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
EDITED BY JoNEsBoRo W. O. T. u.

pupiisneu DY request
WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR OUR GENERA
TIoNp
Some people marvel much that wo-
men should leave their homes and
meet together to hold conventions
and discuss ways and means of uplif-
ting humanity and educating it along
the lines of morally. 1t doesn't seem
at all strange when we stop to think of
it. The only strange thing about it is
that 30 few, comparatively speaking
are interested in that which vitaly con-
Germs us all. 1t is simply the natural
o%utgrowth of mothers love. For what
purpose is this emotion implanted in
n heart II not for the protection of
the young. We recognize it in bird
and beast. In all the animal world
the mother will brave death itself to
save her offspring. Mothers love is
akin to, and a part of Christ love. It
cllngs to the object of affection thro'
good and bad. No one loves like a
mother. She may become impatient
and fretful at times through overwork
or anxiety, but under it all, enduring
as life itself and strong as three fold
cord is the mothers love. Be the child
never so hayward and even unkind,
still the crushed heart loves on while it
has power to beat.
All down the ages there are. standing
out from the mosaic of history both
sacred and profane noble EXAMPLES of
sacrificing mothers. Moses mother
prompted by this emotion hid her son
three months before she launched him
out on the dark Egyptian River.
Rachel mourned for her children and
refused to be comforted. Rizpah sat
beside her dead sons, from the begin.
ing OF harvest until water dropped
upon them out OF heaven, and suffered
neither the birds of the air to rest nm
them by day, nor the beasts of the
field by night. A sad picture but not
o pathetic than that of mothers
OF the present day watching beside
their morally and spiritually dead sons.
IL has been said hat the principal
OF most universal application is this:
"ShOw me the mother and I will show
you the man." This might be true if
mothers could make the laws that
govern society and influence the bow
AFTER he has gone out in the world
away from her protecting care. Then
temptations in every form beset him
and the worst of all, the most deadly
are those that are leaglized, The sa-
loon trike first and most fatally at the
nome. 1t requires no great stretch of
imagination to hear the tramp, tramp.
tramp, OF the army of men who are
steadily marching every year to the
d~runkard's grave and the drunkard's
DOOM Asfast as the ranks are depleted
they are filed by new recruits. Who
Will furnish those recruits? viii thew
De your boys, and miner These men
40 not 60 down to death alone; SO be-
hind them march the 1900. wives
murdered by drunken husbands, the
children Drained starved and mutilated
body and soul by drunken fathers. Obi
what a procession, and yet the half has
never been told and all this misery
legalized by whom? The liquor dealers
put the responsibility on the christian
voters OF America. Hear what one Of
them says: We dread most the weak.
ening OF the right wing of the army.
the christian men. They hold the
balance of power and if they with.
Draw their support from us the traffic
Is gone. In all this who is the great
est sufferer, woman, and yet we are
toid she must sit complacently at
nome with folded hand and powers
dwarfed, doing nothing to alleviate
her own misery, or to stay the restless
tide OF ruin that is sweeping her best
beloved on TO certain destruction. Ont
upon such doctrine, The worm will
urn when troden upon; the brute
creatures protect their young with
their lives. Shall the motherhood of
humanity do less? No matter how
Secure some may feel, there is really no
security for any from the dreaded
saioon power. The Spartans con-
sidered the child the property of the
State, and let nothing stand in the
way OF their being trained for useful
citizens.
Inc sooner our lawmakers arrive at
hat conclusion the better twill be for
ali concerned.
The w. G. 7. U. is organized mother
love. II we wish to cope successfully
with The powers of evil in this world.
we must organize, because the evils
are organized. In organization there
Is power. What would an army
accomplish if each one went into il
with any kind of weapon he chose and
IN any kind Of way as an army of
mothers, wives, sisters and friends.
we must organize and systematize
our warfare against the most terrible
evil thai has ever cursed this beautiful
earth. The liquor traffic, it is SO well
organized that if a hand is laid on the
lowest saloon it is immediately felt
at headquarters and is speedily
avenged. Is you doubt this witness
the martyrs whose lives have been