The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-09
sstbaoiss and Victories.


have been asked to give a short
resume of what believe to be the set
backs and the victories of the tenn
perance cause as / have watched it
during the last fifteen years. and
will begin with the former. says Lady
Henry Somerset in the Sunday School
Times.
The most retrograde step that
know in the temperance reform is the
fact of the organized opposition Of the
liquor traffic as a political party. Some
years ago We fought the drink as it
brought its temptations to individuals;
but the very fact that the temperance
raform has taken such holds upon the
hearts and cOnsciences Of the people
has brought about the result that in
Great Britain the liquor party has
massed against us with an opposition
that is more consolidated than any
thing reformers have to meet, and the
last general election (1895) was fought
largely on the temperance question.
There may have been other matters OF
weighty import, but the factor in the
defeat OF one Of the great political
parties was that a measure Of temper
anee reform had been proposed That
election taught the thinking people OF
this country that there is a danger
which we shall do well 10 face-a
danger which has met America, and
threatened again and again the free
dom Of that great free land, the politi-
cal power Of the saloon. Today the
drink party holds a balance OF the po-
litical power. IL has the amassed
wealth Of great monopoly, and from
the lips OF Lord Rosebery himself we
yearn the danger that threatens US,
when he said. If the state does not
control the liquor traffic. the liquor
traffic will control the state" Again
We have to deplore a phase Of the tenn
peranee question In England which Is
mercifully unknown In America. and
that is the terrible increase Of women
drunkards. That this should be the
case is not to be wondered at, consider
ing that woman in England has been
associated with the sale OF drink the
country over-for there is scarcely a
saloon or a bar anywhere in which the
drink Is not served by women. We
have now to face a fateful heritage OF
drunken women and drunken mothers.
who hand on this dread beQuest 10
those who shall come after them. The
statistics. which have become COM
monplace. indisputably show us this
widespread evil One saloon in Lon
don. which. with a neighboring branch /
belonging to the same firm. was sold /
some little time ago for e10l 200. was
watched during one Sunday. with the
result that 377 women with babies In /
their arms were seen to enter It's doors. I
and the total number Of children visit 4
ing the saloon on that one Sunday was
ZIP. And yet such Is the stupendous /
power OF the liquor traffic that It has /
been mp to this time impossible to get 4
any measure Of adequate reform passed /
through the House Of Commons which 4
viii render it Illegal for children to
be served with drink. We have pro-
tected the factory children by legisla-
ton and, years ago. the great Lord
defended the wretched lit
.le climbing boys. We do not allow a
horse or a dog 10 be misused We have
passed laws Ia order 10 protect the
birds. and 10 restrict the times In
which fsh Of the sea may be caught.
md yet today it Is impossible to get
my bill passed by which children shall
be projected from the great curse OF
rs.r. Isr~-raa