The Caldwell tribune., 1905-03-25
THE PARIAH.

We are not responsible for them
nor are we quite sure that we have
the ability 10 reform them. AS fal
back as we have been able TO trace
reformarionS, we have found at the
root oil all ol them a certain selfish
interest. Seldom do men mend
their ways from pure love of good
ness, but ii you can show them
thatit pays" to be good, they are
apt to invest. This brings us to
the point of considering liquor
drinking.
Drinking is probably no meaner
vice than gambling, fnanciering,
fornicatlon, lying or blasphemy,
but it is more Improbable and less
reputable than any of those. In
Decd all of the last named social
regularitles are more or less
genteel, and proficiency in the
practice of them commands a quail
ity of admiration. The artful
gambler is esteemed for his nerve
and judgment; the capable fnancier,
for his cold hlooded hypocricy; the
gay lothario, for his dash and
gallantry; the liar, tor his power of
invention, and the blasphemer, for
his Dravado. Thus, we see, that
by acquiring expertness in these
sinister accomplishments, one may
attain standing" i'll the community
and standing" is of the very
essence of success.
Now, drinking is the abomi-
nation of denominations. The great
er ones proficiency becomes, the
more is he condemned and de.
spised. Any or all the other vices
named may be indulged with
degree of pleasure aud profit, and,
If practiced with skill, lend certain
Iuster to their devotees. But drink
ing is absolutely barren OF pleasure,
profit or luster. Moderate indulg-
ence is without reasonable COM
pensatl0n; ii opling befuddles the
brain and renders the tippler in
capable of distinguishing between
genuine and counterfeit pleasure,
and drunkness paralyzes the sem
slbllltles, rendering the victim dead !
to all the joys of life. Drinking is
the vice without a single redeem
ing feature. Its devotees are ridi-
cuIed and despised by thieves,
murderers, forgerers. fnanciers, for
nlcators, prostitutes, gamblers, liars,
olasphemers, hypocrites, politicians,
Idiots and lunatics. Drunkness is
the parlah Of all human vices.
1here is none SO low and mean and |
Vile as to do it reverence. Young
men should thoroughly sense this
lact' They should burn it into
'nelr souls that if they must in
uulge some vice, it should not be
drinking. We are not talking
ABOUT the morality of it, but the
business in it. The teachers of
morality have never paid any atten-
non to the business end ofviles and |
lollles. They never attempt to
snow up the commercial and social
auVantages and disadvantages of
'ue different kinds of evil practices
"u' are content to pronounce sweep
Ins condemnation of all of them.
4ney entirely overlook the fact
'. nearly everybody, at some
0 VI Ille' tails victim to, at
,eaSt' one. vice, hence the young
"aVe received no instruction that
"lght serve to guide them in the
seiect'on s' Of "besetting SIM"
,nefe is choice among evils,
tnereiofe' it is needful that, be-
lV'e choosing familiar devil, one
0uoOlo have some knowledge as to
winch will work upon him the
'nOS' serious substantial damage.
II seems to US that it can easily
" demonstrated that drinking is
~. us most Improbable practice in
encre catalogue of what might
salled tolerable vices. Itdoesn't
o .u any solid advantage what