The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-09-25
A National Iui9ht

A National iuiEhL
To the Editor Of the Rams Horn.
lntemperance and drunkenness has be-
come so common without gainsaying
that We have become a nation OF drink
ers. This crime. for II Is nothing less
than a crime. has 80 spread It's de-
bauching influences that every depart
ment Of social life must be supplied
with this evil In order TO become at
tractlye TO many who may interest
themselves In such gatherings Even
our national capitol. and also the cap
itol Of every state In the Union are
supplied with saloons or drinking
places. where It's members can secure
all kinds OF intoxicating liquors With
impunlty under the protection Of the
law. and even Christian people those
who have given their hearts to God
and pledged themselves TO live purer
and boiler lives, have become de-
bauched by this sin. and the Chris
tian churches OF our country have been
led by this seductive serpent until they
are now lying In the dust OF humllla-
ton. References are numerous show
Ing the dreadful and degrading infu-
encea OF drink. even In our halls Of con-
gress MIR. Carlisle. when speaker Of
the house. sent for the keeper Of the
house restaurant and ordered him to
close his restaurant up tight. saying
Il intend TO have congress adjourn
sober for once" General Fisk asked:
WAS ever such an abridgmont Of per-
sonal liberty as that?" by what right
did Speaker Carlisle deprive the con-
gressmen Of their personal liberty TO
get drunk on adjournment day. the day
Of all days when they delight to b. In
that condition?
myself nave counted eighty-fyo
staggering members ON the floor OF
congress on an adjournment day. II
the speaker had the right to abrIdgc
the personal liberty OF our representa-
tives on the day when they most do
exercise personal liberty. why has ho
not the right to interfere with Il on all
other days Of the session?
Chief Justice Cooley, m a lecture 10
the graduates Of the Ann Arbor Michl
university. says: we owe our hest
lie to our country. Think OF the Unit
ed States senate confessiug It's drunk
Cnness, How humlliating aud how
dangerous. too. to have men helping Ia
make the laws and control the destiny
Of 6O,OOO.OOO OF people, themselves IN
such a condition that as private indi-
,iduals. no one would be- willing "a
entertain them with the slightest In
torcst Tor even admit them to his
house, unles. perhaps, he would do II
10 charity TO allow them to sleep on
their inobriely In back chambers. Have
We no duty when such things are pos.
slblc? Il Is no sentiment to say that
We owe something 10 our country"
An cN-presldent once said that he
was the only one OF eighteen young
men who graduated from college 10.
gethcr who was not In a drunkard'f
grave.
With such evidences before us. which
IN themselves speak volumes TO a PEG.
pie who claim 70 be among the highest
type Of civilization and Christianity
how long We will remain under this po-
litlcal dCspot rum power God only
knows
Statistics show that over 40 per cent
OF all the criminals and paupers Tow
In our prisons and almshouses were
made such by reason OF drink aud
drunkenness.
How humiliatlng II must be TO every
Christian family TO feel and realize
that their influence for doing good ID
turned into evil by this monster. Rum.
which cannot be overcome except by
united effort OF Christian churches and
he power OF God. working through
them. to the overthrow OF this abom-
nation. May / ask, will Christian
people commence work at the roots OF
this great evil? For actions speak
| louder than words.
VIII every religious paper and re-
rlodical Of the country please copy this
article, so that Il may be read In the
homes OF every Christian family IN the
land, that they personally be informed
what this hydra-headed monster u lo-
ing to our people and will act lndl-
yidually In this matter2
L. =. WELLS.