Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-05-09

.NN Ms Annie NiCNErSoN.
+ The alarming prevalence Of the drink
habit. and the failure Of legislative
attempts 10 check il. are matters Of dis
coura.ement 10 many. And. after all. II
may bt that the wrong remedy has been
applied.
We believe that temperance has lost
ground because the educational method
has no. been uppetmost il our plans for
the rescue OF the drinker and drunkard.
Ii is tue the legislative system has its
place in this great work: but the mighty
driving wheel must be Education. Not
( the scientific 50 mich as the moral-right
opinion and right practice. The great
foundation ior prohibition must be laid III
such methods As have both the reio,ma-
tory and preventive power in view. We
mus, train the youth 10 right ideas IS
we'll Is right habits. We must arouse
those who ale in danger and know it not.
We must rescue those who have gone far
enough to see ruin ahead OF them. This
mus: be done by our evangelists. and
pledges, our reformatory societies and by
the selection OF elect ladies who shall go
forth wiki the bible in one hand and our
te importance pledge in the other. bearing
the testimony OF truth and the rescuing
remedy alike, 10 the perishing platoons
and lieutenants 0: the army Of drinkers
and drunka.,s.
| We must have total abstinence before
We can have prohibition, and total absti-
hence is only 10 he secured by moral
suasion. Let Us make sober voters; let
Us p.edse those who have the franchise,
and who are TO have it. to total absti-
nence.
The ranks OF drunkaris are recruited
from the army OF mo ierate drinkers No
man. when he begins TO drink. thinks he
will ever make drunkard it never
occurs 10 him that he will at last fill q
drunkard'S grave. Yet no drunkard was
ever buried who did not make his first
step downward by moderate drinking.
Il may seem strange. but it is never
theles> true, that alcohol regularly APP
Piled TO the thrifty farmers stomach will
remove the boards from his fences, let
his cattle into the crops. kill his fruit
trees. mortgage his farm. and SOW his
! fields in blilrs and thistles; it will take
the paint of his buildings. break the
glass out Of the windows and fill them
with rags it will take the gloss from his
manners, subiue his reason. arouse his
passions. bring sorrow and disgrace to
his family, and bury his body in
druukards grave.
Yes, sisters. more than two thousand
years ago the results OF alcohol on the
body were compared to the bite OF SER
pent. and the sting OF an adder and
alcohol has not changed its nature since.
Yet we are called upon to perpetuate
license TO sell t-for the purpose Of en-
riching christian nation O. Lord, how
long? How long? Upon every princi-
PIE OF sound reasoning or logic. we are
opposed to all kinds OF protection to the
liquor traffic.
Very few persons take deep interest
in temperance reform. except total alb
stainers. The whole burden OF the tenn
perance movement has always been
borne by men and women who haye for
the sake OF Christ and his cause been
total abstainers. The same conflict is
now going on between the expanding
forces OF the temperance army and the
opposing elements OF business, social and
political lie. The struggle may be
long-drawn and bitter one. but the day is
coming when the relation OF the Govern
ment to the liquor traffic will be severed;
when the American flag will 10 longer
float over an American saloon when an
American citizen will no longer haunt
Government permit in the face OF wronged
womanhood and childhood. The day will
come when universal prohibition will be
the law OF the land. David, what is that
in thy hand? "Only a sling and a small
pebble" Come, dedicate them to God
and 60 -lay that giant. My little lad
what is that in thy hand? "Only five
loaves and two little fishes Come.
delicate them TO God: they will feed
thousands and have much left. Nv
brother. what is that in thy hand?
"Only a little American ballot" Come, /
dedicate to God and 90 cast it for the .
prohibition OF the liquor tratfic-it may
be the feather that breaks the camers
back.
Upon what does the success Of the
liquor traffic depend? Upon deceased
manhood, deirauded childhood and de. .
bauched womanhood. 1t holds mort.
gage over every cradle-a death sentence
written with human blood on three hun.
dre1 thousand drunkarls in this fair land
OF Columbia: it holds the prison key to
one hundred thousand men and women
now locked in the dungeons OF our own
country; it has transferred two hundred
THOUSAND innocent, dimped-cheeked
children from happy homes to the frozen
pillows OF a heartless seridom: it holds
death grasp on one billion nine hundred
million dollars Of money furnished by our
Heavenly Father to feed helpless women
AMI children, AMI 10 elevate fallen
humanity, who now weep tears OF blood
over wasted lives and fortunes.
Then. sisters, educational temperance
means woodwork for the army OF the