Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-07
FOREIGNERS OUR BREWERS
Father Oleary Talks on Temperance Work
in All Lands.
The Thursday Lecture Course at Nc
Mahon Hall AuspiciOusly Open
ed Yesterday Afternoon.

ed Yesterday Afternoon.
Rev. James NJ. Cleary of Minneapolis,
president of the Catholic Total Abstinence
Union of America, delivered the first of the
&C urse of Thursday lectures in Mcmahon
Hall at the Catholic University yesterday.
The subject was Temperance Work in All
Lands" Entering upon the theme historic
ally, the lecturer reviewed the origin of
drunkenness, which with the development
of civilization has increased because men
do not grow morally stronger as they be-
come the more civilized. Referring to the
enactments against the liquor traffic, he
said: Owing to excessive drinking in Great
Britain, the common sale of all intoxicants
was early interfered with by law. In the
reign of Edgar the Peaceful" 959-9I5 only
enc ale house was allowed to remain in
each parish. and large drinking cups had
pegs inserted, to limit the quantity to be
drunk, hence the phrase, taking down a
peg. Ever since that time the traffic in in
tcxicants, under English law, has been more
or less under legal restriction.
Early Prohibition.
Entire prohibition was affirmed as early
as 1855, when magistrates were empowered
to suppress the ale houses and tipping
houses as they were called, in any towns
they saw fit. In 1856 distllation of spirits
was absolutely prohibited; but was after
ward allowed source of revenue, often
Tor war purposes In 1898 a tax was also
levied on malt, sweets and cider, to raise
money for war with France: but the next
year distillation was prohibited, as the
grain was needed for food. In 1743 the gin
act was passed, to raise funds for the Ger
man war Lord Chesterfield vehemently
opposed it as money raising by demoraliz-
ing the people. He declared that vice is
not properly to be taxed, but suppressed
and that the use of things hurtful should be
prohibited. Eighteen years later the >distil-
leries had to be stopped again to save the
grain. In Ireland, during the years of
scarcity, such as 1S11-1S12, 1913, 1914, the
distilleries We're closed by parliament on
the same ground. and the consumption of
spirits in that country consequently
reduced nearly one-half. The result as
proved by parliamentary returns, was that
the people imported and purchased more
real home comforts during scant harvests
with closed distilleries than in years of
plenty, with distileries at work. In spite
of those convincing facts, such legislation
was enacted in 1S23-1S25 as facilitated in
such a manner spirit dstilling and vending
that the consumption of spirits in the
united kingdom increased 40 per cent in
flve years, and the increasing drunkenness
called loudly for some movement to pro-
mote national sobriety.
Temptations of License.
These interesting facts suggest the great
and obstinate difficulty that confronts leg
islation when attempting to deal with the
drink evil. The tempting profit to the PRO-
duCer and to the seller of intoxicanrs in
every country opens an inviting and easy
means TO the law-making power Of raising
government revenue. The tax .,nposed
upon strong drink, upon an article which
Is not regarded as necessary of life, sp-
pears to be restraint upon the dangerous
traffic, whereas it is III reality the underly-
T coy -t1y--,
Gus to the best interests of the people is
permitted to flourish, and is tolerated with
such leniency. The people, too often I'M
mindful OF the weighty burdens which they
must bear. because of the poverty, desti-
tuition and want that follow in the wake
of the prosperity of the ii11or trade, are
deceived, and vainly fancy that they are
relieved from burdensome taxation, because
OF the enormous revenue derived from the
manufacture and sale Of intoxlcants
"Cnquestonably. the drink plague would
be OF brief duration in continental countries
and the strong governments of the old
world would not be so slow 20 deal IN an
effective manner with the widespread drink
evil were it not for the enormous revenues
derived from the manufacture and sale of
intoxicants. While these governments
stand watching each other with fixed bay
onets, re1dy at moments notice TO
plunge the overtaxed people into bloody
STRIFE, 1t is with them most serious prob
lem how to secure ample revenues to main
tain their large standing armies. The
drinking customs of the people are rather
encouraged than disturbed, for the greater
the consumption of mtoxicanss the richer
the national treasury.
Foreign Money in American DistilIer-
THE great brewing and distilling estab-
lishments of this country are rapidly pass
ing into the hands of foreign capital, so
that ere long the liquor barons of Europe
will control not only the rational affairs
of the old world, but will be in position to
rule the politics of this republic. Eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty and abso-
lutte independence of the greedy liquor
power is essential to the prosperity and
happiness OF free people Foreign money
is freely used in every state of this Union
to prevent wholesome legislation, or to de-
feat its purpose.
Statesmen in almost every country of
Europe have noted with alarm the serious
inroads that intemperance is making among
the people. But the stubborn stumbling
block in the way OF any material reform on
the part of the government is the rich
income. wrung from popular appetite
The Gothenburg system was reviewed by
the lecturer. and shown not to accomplish
the results that its projectors hoped for
The Sunday-closing act was fruitful of
great good in reducing intemperance in
Great Britain and Ireland, said Father
Clary.
"Al the teachings of religion surround
strong drink said the lecturer in closing
with solemn warnings. Modern medical
science has come to the rescue of shattered
nerves and wrecked manhood Honest
legislation is earnestly striving to curb King
AlcohoPs power. With these three powerful
forces, cemented together the moralist, the
scientist and the legislator, all have good
reason to hope, with the blessing of Cod
that the demon of strong drink may not
triumph over the enslavement of man."
Further Lectures.
There will be eight lectures in this course.
Thursday being lecture day, and Mcmahon
Hall the assembly room. Next Thursday
Martin A. Knapp, interstate commerce COM
missioner, will speak on the effect of rail-
reads on industrial progress The remain
der of the course is as follows: February 20,
Senator Stephen H. White, on George
Washington February %, Rev Daniel
Quinn, on Olympia and the Olympian
Games March ), Prof. Hermann Schoen-
field, on German Culture a the Opening of
The XVIth Century, March II, Rev James
NJ. Cleary, on Temperance Work in Our
own Age and Country" March 49, Prof
Edward Lee Greene. on Some Uses of Ma
ture Study" March 26, Rev John F. Null
iany, on Brother Azarias''
7