The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-15

The prevaIsnce Of sober scoundrelism
and sanctifed rascaiit7 would seem TO
indicate that total abstinence Is some
times associated with disposition 10 lie
and steal, and the immortality that 10 most
incurabIe would seem TO be this disposi-
ton 10 eat and drink temperateiy In order
TO End more unmatched opportunities to
lie and steal Unexpectedly.
Women are sometimes accused OF tempt
ing men TO the wine cup in their hospi-
taiity. The imaginary young gentlemen
who are tempted by young ladies for the
first time to bite the serpent Of the still
and chew on the adder's sting: the father
OF that fictitious creature, who Is but
clay, or, rather, mud, in the hand OF any
fair hand that offers him the wine cup,
has our sympathies. The women, young
and Old, of this period have quite enough
to bear without being made sentimentaiIy
responsible for the brutal, selfish animal
Ism Of incorporate men of all sorts
Young men. like young women. work out
their own salvation, and the temperance
morality that has only eoddled life, that
expires before q young woman's smile or
outssrstched hand, has not vigor enough
to keep IL sweet in the smallest of the
worlds trying experiences.
This shouldering OF your sins uron
other people is very common vice. but
ercItes no sympathy from sincere. sensible
minds. who know that when young men
are met in real life who need the bib and
tucker all their lives they are not worth
saving. and are invariably sons that are
not noble nor well beloved. Somebody
once said that while the wine press was
bad enough, 1t was better than the whine
press" which is another way of saying,
''The woman gave to me and did eat"
Advising young girls to boycott" So
cially not drunkards. but all young men
who are not total abstainers, belongs to
the deepest ooze of platform bigotry and
folly. Is there any more sense in urging
young woman 10 boycott" young men
who are not total abstainers from all
forms OF alcohol than there would be IN
pledging young women to associate with
no young man whose record was not
as clear and stainless as that OF
Sir Galahard. Nine-tenths of the clergy
Of England are not total abstainers;
a very large number of them in America
do not refuse glass of wine at dinner.
Gladstone does not refuse wine at a public
dinner: neither did Tennyson, George
Washington. Charles Sumner, Ralph
Waldo Emerson. Dean Stanley, Matthew
Arnold, nor Garfield. To use wine in
moderation Is no more a sane excuse for
using 1t Unexpectedly than the temperate
use of food Is any palliation for gluttony;
or children born in lawful wedlock any
Justification for bastardy. Why should
young giris be urged to boycott" socially
q young man who drinks ut all rather
than young man who lies, who Is cruel,
is uncharitable. is knavish In trade. who
grinds the face of the poor. who robs the
ignorant or despotizes over the weak and
unfortunate TO his own selfish advantagef
Are there no seoundrels or brutes who
are total abstsiners7 Your sober gambler
and your sober burglar are very common
characters.
The young girls who go into the "moral
and social boycott" bushes will dp well to
boycott all the ungodly if they would re-
form the world. To boycott drunkard
socially may have some defense, but to
socially boycott man simply because he
Is not total abstainer Is impolitic. foolish
and unjust The temperance cause can
no more afford to cut loose from common
sense. justice and moderation than religion
can. The temperance cause cannot afford
to sink under one common curse the tenn
perate and the drunkard, without repuls-
ing very large, upright, intelligent and
influential public opinion.
The other day minister said that 10
him prohibition was q religion" On the
other hand TO many men "a wise, as good
and useful rs he prohibition is not re-
iigion at ali: 1t is only a means to the end
of temperance; II 1t does not produce good
fruits II is promptly discarded. as il was
by Gov. Andrew. Of Massachusett; by
Rev. DIR. Cyrus A. Bartol, by Bishop Ire
land. by Gladstone, by John Stuart Mill.
by Herbert Spencer and a number of other
great and good and useful men on both
sides OF the water.