Evening journal., 1896-11-04

thought that "liquor men could not
themselves devise a better plan for
propagating the liquor habit" Con-
trary to this declaration we have al
ways supposed that temperance drinks
should be commended as supplying a
substitute for malt and alcoholic ones
If this is not so, where shall the line
be drawn?
Radical temperance people have for
a long time insisted that tea and cof-
fee are injurious; but now they have
decided that the use OF root beer is "the
DEVILS plan" to induce people to drink
alcoholic drinks without knowing it, it
would seem doubtful as to what can
be drunk with safety. Lemonade
would, it strikes us, be quite as likely
to induce an appetite for alcohol as
root beer and soda water, even
more so, as many of the syrups are
prepared with alcoholic extracts. SO
according to this latest temperance
champion, there would seem nothing
in the world which people could drink
with safety, but water.
Now, when we consider that water is
rarely pure and in many cases abso-
lutely unsuitable for the allayment of
thirst, It is evident that according to
this logic, people must either give up
drinking and 90 thirsty, or they cannot
be temperance people, Such absurdity
will not help the temperance cause. Is
Il likely that the Almighty gave us the
power OF taste, and at the same time
intended that we should never drink
anything but water, while He made it
impossible for us, in certain situations
OF life to get anything but dirty water?
One might as we'll say we should eat
nothing but bread. AS result those
who could not eat bread would have to
die.
Advocates of the temperance cause
often complain of the slowness with
which that reform progresses, and we
would remind them that such zealots
as those alluded to, do far more harm
than good. There is reason in telling
anyone that they should not drink al
cohol. for even the inebriate himself
knows that it is injurious. But when
you tell man or a child that they can
not drink tea and coffee, root beer and
lemonade, their nature rebels, for they
feel that they have as good a mora
right to please their appetite in theii
beverages as they do in their food.
This Is common sense, and this quail
ity is unfortunately more lacking
among the advocates Of temperance
than 1t is with other reformers. Th'
moment temperance people deviat'
from it they open the door for the devi
to put in his "insidious" work. Tel
anyone he cannot drink tea and coffee
root beer and lemonade, and he will
nine times out Of ten, drink whiske.
and beer out of spite. This is human
nature, and when temperance peopl
learn more of it and practice common
sense. the cause of inebriety will b
put down by the tea and coffee drink
ers, and those who insist that the
have a right to drink root beer an
other soft and harmless drinks.
d No one can doubt that over produ'
o ton has been the cause, to a great e'
tent, of recent business misfortune
d and now that the surplus stocks al
!. pretty we'll decimated, it is evident tn,
It our manufactures will be obliged
i run on full time, giving work to thol
& sands of operatives who have suffere
T for years, owing to the general d.
- preston of business throughout Il
d country.
Whether we are to have good tim'
y or not from now on will depend vel
l. much upon the people. The latt'
, have more to do in restoring confden'
q and prosperity than the politicians, an
v now that they are delegated to baC
seats the former should come forwai
% and work for better times.
l. There was a time when Henry Geori
was looked upon as an honest philos
s. pher, and sincere, II not always corre'
Is in his convictions, but recent events
y to show that Mr.. George is far fro
!, being a prophet, and this fact max
\ people doubt his philosophy He is
a man of one idea, that's all.
Is The city papers contain less scand
N than usual, so far, about actresses al
e. opera singers. The theatrical seas
Id will open dull, unless the reputatio
le of some people are sacrificed to ma
id things lively, and newspaper write
ct who deal in this kind Of rot will 81
r fer the consequences.
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
"A Tell man a secret and he tells It
his wife and when she in turn repei
u It. he has a great deal to say abe
I'll women not being able to keep an
r. thing.-Atchison Globe.
at The sultan promises that our m
n sionaries in Armenia viii net be q