The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-01-15

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punishment for crime while iC!oIiCatef
The first punlshnentfo fer the crime, ant
the ether for the intoz oatinn.
The Cr:lne oF Alexander,
It WIS u sorrento pacs.@e ~ tbet song
when Alexpudtr the C;rrat ar 60 from 9
banauet - struck smear through the
hears of C]ilus willis putting Up the
curtains, and, horrid"d at what was
done, Withdrew the ew0rd from the
dead body aud attempted to take his
own life. In Ike time Of Oliver Cfom-
well the evil was SO great that offend
ers were compelled to wear what yeas
called "the drunkGrd S cloak namely,
BARREL with one end OF it knocked out
and hole in the Gpposdle end, the arms
thrust through holes at the sides of the
barrel Samuel johnson made merry Of
his own inebriaoy. Oh, this old song
All the centuries have joined i'll. Among
the first soncs ever sung was the song of
the drunkagds.
Again, this song of the drunkards is
an expensive song. The SoDDtags and
the Parepa Rosas and Missions and the
other renderers of elevated and divine
solos received their thousands Of dol
lars per night in coliseums and acade-
mics of music. Some of the people of
small means almost paupcrized them
selves that they might sit a few even
ings under the enchantment of those
angels of sweet sounds. paid 81 to
hear Jenny Lind sing when it was not
very easy to afford the ST. Very expen-
sive is such music, but the costliest
song Oil earth is the drunkards' song. 1t
costs ruin of body. 1t costs ruin of
mind. 1t costs ruin Of soul. Go right
down among the residential streets Of
any city and you can find once beauti-
full and luxurious homesteads that were
expended in this destructive music.
The lights have gone out in the draw
ing room, the planes have ceased the
pulsation of their keys, the wardrobe
has lost its last article of appropriate
attire. The BelshaZzarean feast has left
nothing but the broken pieces of the
crushed chalices.
The Most Expensive Music.
There it stands, the ghastliest thing
on earth-the remnant Of drunkard's
home. The costIiost thing on earth is
sin. The most expensive of all music is
the song of the drunkards. 1t is the
highest tariff of natons-not protect
i've tariff, but tariff of doom, tariff
of woe, tariff of death This evil
whets the knives of the assassins, cuts
the most Of the wounds of the hospital,
makes necessary most of the almshouses,
causes the most of the rawlings of the
insane asylum and puts up most of the
iron bars of the penitentiaries. 1t has
its hand today on the throat of the
American republic. 1t is the taskm aster
of nations, and the human race crouGhes
under its anathema The song of the
drunkards has for its accompaniment
the clank of chains, the chattering teeth
of poverty, the rattle of eXecutioner's
scaffold, the creaking door of the de-
serted home, the crash of shipwrecks
and the groan of empires. The So, 020,-
600, 900 which rum costs this country
in year in the destruction of grain
and sugar and the supporting of the
paupers and the invalids and the crimi-
nails which strong drink causes is only
small part of what is paid for this ex-
pensiye song of the drunkards.
Again. this song OF the drunkards is
a multitudinous sonR-not Solo, not a
duet, not quartet, not sextet, but |
millions on millions are this hour sing
ing it. Do not think that alcoholism |
has this field all to itself 1t has pow
erful rivals in the intoXicants Of other |
nations-hasheesh and arrack, and |
puIque, and opium, and quavo, and
mastic, and wedro. Every nation, bar
barrie as well as civilized, has its pet |
This song of the drunkards
is rendered in Chinese, Hindustanee, Ara
bian, Assyrian, Persian, Mexican-yea,
all the languages. All zones join it. No
continent would be large enough for the
choir gallery if all those who have this
libretto in their hands should stand side
by side to chant the international chorus
Other throngs are just learning the eight
notes of this beautiful music which is
already mastered by the orchestras in
full voice under the batons in full swing.
All the musicians assembled at Dus
seldorf, or Berlin, or Boston peace ju
bilee, rendering symphonies, requiems
Or grand marches of Mendelssohn or
Wagner or Chopin or Handel, were in
significant in numbers as compared
with the innumeraf lie throngs, host be-
side host gallery above gallery, who
are now pouring forth the song of the
lrunkards
The Song of Salvation.
Years ago, standing before bulletin
BOARD in New York on the night of
presidential election day as the news
zane in and the choice of the American
people was finally announced, there
we're people i'll the streets who sang
and frivolous songs, but in
he street one man, in deep, strong.
voice, started, TO the tune of
old Hundred, :" praise God, From
Whom All Blessings Flow" and soon,
III up and down the street. the voices
oined in the doxology. May God speed
he day when the song of rescue and
Aviation shall drown with an over
surge this mighty song of
he drunkards!
Again, the song Of the drunkards is
suggestive song. You hear a nurse
efrain. and right away you think of
our childhood home and brothers and
sgAl