The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-16
SCIENTIFIC TEMPERANCE.
Supt. Mary II. Hunt Discusses the
Signs of the New Era.


Signs of the New Era
The following is an abstract Of the report
of Mary H. Hunt, national superintendent Ct
scientific temperance instruction:
The poet Lowell says:
''At the birth OF each new era. with a rec
Nation wildly looks at nation, standing with
mute lips apart"
Have we reached the dawn OF such an era
LOT the temperance eause7 Three things In
dictate that we have.
The first is that the civilized nations OF the
earth are putting cause and effect together
on the alcohol question as never before. In
France Switzerland and Belgium the increas-
Ing use OF alcohol is recognized as the cause
OF a physical decline in stature that Is filling
those nations with alarm for their future
Close investigation is proving to the kaiser
that the beer drinking soldier has only so OF
90 per cent OF the endurance OF the total abb
stalner and economists are calling attention
to the bad effects that increasing drink habits
are having upon German industries. The
young car OF Russia, alarmed at the inroads
which he sees alcohol making upon his army
and people, is striving to stem the tide
Thoughtful Englshmen are saying that Brit
aims greatest enemy Is alcohol. While In
our own country its effects upon our soldiers
in the home camps as well as in the field
have been made sadly evident TO the Ameri-
can people.
The second sign OF the coming OF the new
era on the alcohol question is that the truth
against alcohol is out. Everything that its
advocates can say in its favor is contro-
verted by the strongest scientific authorities
OF the world who pronounce II a poison
the genius OF degeneracy. Nothing can stihe
this truth or hide IL from the people and their
children, whose heritage II Is. Vain are the
efforts to make the clock OF the world move
backward; its great pendulum swings to the
rhythm OF truth: In the fuIlness OF time it
strikes the death knell OF error and when
that time comes no man can turn the hand
back on the dial
The third sign Is that the per capita con-
sumption OF alcohol has begun 10 decline In
this country. although its consumption is in
creasing In other nations. The new York
Medical Record puts this decline during the
last ten years at 80 per cent Prior to that
time there continual increase. During
these years some OF our prohibitory laws
have been repealed. others have been weak
ened: less rather than more temperance plat
form work has been done and more than
1900, 900 people have come 20 us from foreign
lands bringing with them the alcoholic hab-
It's OF the countries from which they came.
In the face OF all these unfavorabls condi-
lions. why has the per capita consumption OF
alcohol IN this country decreased during this
time while previously II increasedY Our En-
g5ish friends are doing much church, So
ciety and Band OF Hope work as we; ana per-
haps more: yet England's drink bill for 1897
ran UP 10 SIC 500 90 more than that OF the
preceding year. The only new feature intro
cueed into temperance work IN TINS country
during the past ten years so generally as TO
touch all sections. and the only method OF
Importance in which our temperance work
differs from that OF England, Is that OF tenn
perance education IN the public schools. II
Is this that is getting the truth to the PEG
ME SO generally as already % eear fruit II
IA This that is laying the foundation OF the
intelligent sobriety OF the future American:
We would not for moment question the
vaIue OF other temperance efforts which have
helred 10 secure these results. but the figures
show that such efforts without Temperance ed
ucatfon are inadequate 70 produce TINS de-
cline -.
MCKINLEY in his Omaha speech. II has been
made the legal duty OF nearly all the scnooi
hosrds and teachers In this country 70 see
thst All pupils in all schools are taught me
nature ana Effects OF alcoholic drinks ana
otbsr narcotics together with other laws o.
heath The way IN which their DUTY - peI-
formed duriag the next hfteen years VIII
LARGELY tpaueuce the destiny OF this nation.
-. rossFhilfttes have lately come 70 Us as
a r,eonle which we cannot shirk II We Noui1'
/ Unless I mistake the spirit OF ny coun'f
80 he natives which have led Us on %
re hanr have been. not what we may gam
90 ourselves from Cuba. Porto RICO, hA~sll
ana ne Philippines, but what We may %
! axle TO DO for them. as sharers IN our civil
80 Tsolitical liberties. our educataon ouf
I s-sa51rn in religion and in the chance OF HE
| which IS every American citizen nesAtAs Ss
| The LIQUOR traf1c represents unIniusaieo sen
gs5,s,ass- n considers only Whet u 'cAh n1Ee
| for Itself without regard 70 the human TUE ~.
fhat follows every dollar OF It's gains -
| s--ensicr into our new possessions NoGlc
men the swift destruction o. tnosS psoP.s s
| g. vrh0r1 our sons faced the Molocn OF WaI.
TS,a ca ~ nations is calling US 90 70 soueA e
onr ueopIe that this calamity may pc ateIseu
So, ,F.[ssa from whom We are newly rs
snonsibIe while We 81 TIE same Sine saw
| our own Children