The sun., 1901-08-03
NJ. Cambo on American Temperance

NJ. CambOn on American temperance
NJ. JULES CANNON. the distinguished
French Ambassador to the United States.
said, in speaking Of this country. in a
recent interview at Paris:
There may be some hypocrites. but the
vast majority abstain from strong drink.
TO the great advantage of tho race. which.
for a time. Threatened to lapse into drunken
ness"
So broad a generalization as that the
"vast majority" OF our people abstain
from strong drink may be disputed.
but IL NJ. CAMBoN means by strong
drink, distilled liquors, as he probably
does, there is every reason to believe
that his assertion is correct. II is also
true, as general observation must heve
discovered, that prudence in drinking
all kinds Of alcoholic liquors has in
creased and that total abstinence from
them /, relatively much more frequent
than formerly.
The organized temperance agitation.
conducted on moral and religious
grounds, has diminished greatly in ac-
tivity; but meanwhile better under
standing of the evil physical effects OF
Incorporate alcoholic indulgence has
induced individual temperance on a
wide scale. At clubs there is very much
less drinking than formerly, more espe-
cially Of spirituous liquors; and obvious
intoxication, once treated as an amiable
weakness, is now cause OF reproach.
Men who fall into it habitually or fire.
quently are regarded as victims of a
mania and pitied or avoided. At din
ners abstemiousness in drinking is usual,
and any departure from it provokes
unfavorable comment, il not social
ostracism. Young men OF this time
in reputable society who are gross drink
ers are recognized as dipsomaniacs
and relatively their number is small.
Intoxication has become a disgraceful
social offence and total abstinence is
now so frequent among individuals
that it no longer attracts special atten-
ton as the eccentricity it was once held
to be. II is practised in every circle.
Take even the Tammany General Com
mittee, once called a collection OF red
noses; IL il now full OF total abstainers.
None OF the great political leaders Of
the present is hard drinker many Of
them are rather total abstainers. The
same is true Of the great leaders in
finance, in trade, and in the professions.
Strict abstemiousness is the rule among
them and a reputation Of intemperance
is always injurious. 1t weakens con-
fidence in the mans judgment Self
control is required and made the test of
ability to command The larger affairs
OF the present time in the world Of enter
prise demand strictly sober heads
for their management and the strain
put upon all men by present industrial
organization and competition can be
borne by the sober only.
Consequently the line Of distinction
by which the victims of their bibulous
appetites or Of nervous dependence on
stimulants are marked of is now drawn
much more sharply than used to be the
case. The drunkards have become q
class by themselves, reprobated or pitied
as untrustworthy or irresponsible men,
bers Of society.
Meanwhile, however, OF formal and
methodical temperance agitation there
is far less, as we have said A growing
conception Of the indecency OF intemper-
ance and Of the terrible physical and men
tai penalties which must be paid for it
has accomplished a result which was i'm
possible under the passionate hortatory
method Of the old temperance agitators,
except, perhaps, as a transitory penance.
The liquor question, once cause OF
political disturbance in many States,
has been practically eliminated from
politics, for the evils OF alcoholic abuse
are recognized by all parties and by
liquor dealers not less than by the rest
Of the public. In this State, for ex-
ample. no party that accedes to power
will dare to repeal the Raines law.
We are not surprised, therefore, that
M CAMBoN should have been struck
especially by the temperance OF the
American people. His remark proves
that he has been true and careful OBJ
server and his conclusion that their
abstemiousness will be Of great ad-
vantage to the race" is wholly sound.
Nothing in our society is Of more hope
full promise.