The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-19

makest him Observation-Disclosures BIS.
There is a powerful lesson running
in the newspapers at present under a
Wooster, O., date line. 1t is a story of
social domestic life in our army cir
Giles. Some of it's details are disgust
ing; others are too evil even to be
placed before the public. but from
them a lesson must be drawn.
The Wooster story is one of mans
foolishness and woman's weakness and
vanity. Both the man and the woman
appear to be drunkards. Primarily
the domestic difficulties of the Tag
CARTS teach a temperance lesson, but
it is different from most temperance
lessons in that it is one with which
the saloon has nothing to do.
We are too prone to attribute all
the evils of drink to the saloon. Espe-
cially in prohibition Kansas is this
true. There is too much preaching of
prohibition and not enough of temper
ance. There is a wide difference be-
tween the two. We might abolish the
saloon and still there would be drunk
ards, but if we abolish or reform the
drunkards there will be no saloons.
Taggarts' troubles. Liquor has been
at the bottom of more domestic TRACE
dies than anything else. 1t has broken
up multitude of homes, just as it has
that of the Taggarts. Most of these
tragedies we never hear of. but they
happen Just the same.
The Taggarts are no saloon drunk
ards. Oh, no! They simply kept
liquor in their home to treat their
friends to a social glass. There Mrs
Taggart learned to like it. Her hus-
band did not protest until too late
Captain Taggart not only gave his
neighbor drink. but he gave it to his
wife also According to the testimony
in the case, drink robbed Mrs. Taggart
of her love for her husband. Her
husband believes that she was I'M
faithful to him. Taggart made his
wife and his brother officers drunken
by keeping liquor in his house for
them to drink. Now he is reaping the
woe OF it.
Captain Taggart is primarily to blame
for his troubles. He ought TO nave
shielded his wife from such temptations
instead of placing them in her way
And Mrs Taggart is to blame in thai
she fell. Her husband testifes that she
was a loving, faithful wife until she be-
gan to love wine too we'll. She was weak
and vain. Her love for her husband
was undermined, and her principles
were weakened by the use of drink. She
was eager for the admiration of men
and when infiamed by wine she forgo
the pIeadings of her husband to keel
away from the company of others t.
whom he objected.
Z incidentally the case of the Taggart
centers public attention upon customs
which are too common in army life, ac
cording to rumor 1t must not be pre-
sumed, of course, that all army Officers
and their families are like the Taggarts
but if common reports can be believed
there is altogether toe much of the Tag
CART conduct in army circles. The sur
roundings of, every army post are more
or less immoral.
The old adage that Satan finds some
mischief for idle hands to do is no les:
applicable to mature people than tt
children. There is altogether too much
idleness in most army posts. This and
the drinking that prevails among the
men and in many instances among the
families of the officers, cannot result il
anything but evil. The tragedy of the
Taggarts is a result of army post life.
Last Sunday DR.. Matt S. Hughes O
Kansas City, preached a sermon in To
peka on the difference between RICH
and wrong living, which is emphasized
by the Taggart story. The two are de
scribed by Paul as follows:
1.-THE works of the flesh are manifest
which are these:. Adultery, fornication
uncleanness, 1asciviousness, idolatry
witchcraft. hatred. variations, emula
lions, wrath, strife, seditions. heresies
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revel
lings, and such like: they which do sucl
things shall not inherit the kingdom o
God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love
joy, peace, 1ongsuffering, gentleness
goodness. faith, meekness, temperance
against such there is no law"