The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-25
THE BICYCLE AND TEMPERANCE.

The bicycle as a temperance agent is
proba bly, not generally appreciated at its
fuH value Many men, young men espe-
cially, go into saloons because their les
ure time hangs heavily upon their hands.
They desire company. and there is always
company 10 pe found in such places. And
there is an amount of sociabHity and good
fellowship about drinking in saloons which
no one who ever drank. and then quit the
habit. will deny. The friendly glass on
bar or table brings out the good as wen
the bad qualities of men. If one could
always be sure that there was no lurking
devil in the social glass. and that it would
not lead to ruin, as it usually does, 1t
might BE- accounted one Of the genuine adj
juncis 10 human happiness. But the Turk
ing devil is never absent and he is al
ways extremely dangerous.
A great deal of the drinking and intern
perance arises from ideness. The young
man with an hour or two OF his own in
the afternoon or evening goes to the sa-
loon 10 find company. takes social drinks,
acquires the haDit, becomes Incorporate,
and finally a drunkard. The steps ere wei
known and easy Had he at The beginning
some enjoyable, healthful occupation with
which to pass his hour or two he would
not have visited the saloon. The want is ap-
parent. and the bicycle supplies that want
better than anything else that has yet
been devised. There have been numerous
substitutes for the saloon projected-the
reading room, the coffee and tea saloons,
and ihe lie Put Nvbila no.A1 results have
attended such enterprises. candor compels
the statement that they fan short of be-
ing satisfactory substitutes Tor the whisky
and beer saloons. In comparison with the
latter. they are fiat and stale. They lack
the change, The vivacity, the excitement
which some natures demand. The spirit
which prompts the establishment of such
places is unquestonably good and COM
mendable but the results which have al
most invariably attended them is proof
that they do not fill the bin.
The bicycle offers change of scene, men
tai rest from routine of business and at the
same time excitement enough to give zest
to the pastime Of riding; it offers health
fui exercise, the sort that improves appe-
lite and conduces to peaceful siumbers, and
it brings riders into pleasant social inter
course in the open air Of the streets and
highways. The young man leaves bust
ness in the afternoon tired. He wishes
company and entertainment to get the
cobwebs out of his brain. He takes his BIZ
cycle for a spin. On the road he falls in
with friends The converse ton springs up
spontaneously. The fresh air is sweet,
wholesome and bracing, and the exercise
is just sufficient to send the blood cours-
ing through the veins with new vigor. A.
ter riding half an hour or an hour, the ex-
! ercise the fresh air and the company have
given the young man all the stmulant
that his system calls for, and it has been
of a beneficial kind He doesn't want any.
other kind. If he were to stick his head
| into a saloon door the fumes inside would
disgust him. He goes home invigorated,
sleeps soundly, and gets up for business
the next morning with clear head steady
hand and good temper. Clearly, therefore,
the bicycle is a temperance agent whose
good Offices can hardly be appreciated too
highly.