The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-20
PROMOTING TEMPERANCE.

l' A lady writer in a recent newspaper article takes the position that the scarcity of drinking water is re- sponsible for much of the intemperance of the present day. and there is little doubt that she is correct especially as to the large cities of the country. It is not merely scarcity of good water to drink but of water of any kind. In some of the large cities the problem of getting sufficient water is one of the hardest and most preplexing of all the trouble of city life Tn some of them 1t is difficult, if not impossible, to get enough water to supply the people as they should be supplied. while in most of them good and pure water is not to be had at all.
 Those who are able to do so and can have the water filtered. boiled and iced may get along fairly well, but the thousands of poor people, who have no such advantages must either go with a scanty supply of drinking water or must take it warm, insIpid or disgust ing. just as it comes from the streams or lakes, and which Is frequently of a character that thirsty beast would turn from in disgust.
 Can it be wondered at that people who cannot get a drink of even fairly safe and palatable water should have recourse to some Other method of allay- ing their thirst? To say nothing of the numerous soft drinks" as they are termed. to be had in profusion in any to turn to ale, beer and even some thing stronger to allay the thirst which they find it impossible to do with the water that is obtainable.
 Taking this view of conditions and eircumstances--and 1t is 8 correct one we must arrive at the conclusion that an adequate supply of good drinking water is not only in the interest of com mon humanity but of temperance We hear a great deal these days about tenn perance, and while in some cases it may amount to a fad. and while there may be extremists in this as in most other matters. all good people must unite in deploring intemperance and in advoeat- ing temperance in the use of intoxicat- ing drinks. How the evil can be at least modified is so well set forth by the lady writer--her article is in The Pittsburg Sun-that we make no apology for quoting liberally from it as follows:
 Now 1t happens, as we all know, that fortunes are spent in this country every year in an effort to decrease lntem- perance Good and zealous women work ardently in this cause, likewise many men. They have great conven- tions, issue phamphlets explaining the disastrous effect of the use of alcohol as a beverage. give lectures through out the land and urge men and women to sign the pledge. And still intem- perance increases
 This is what might be called inn practical philanthropy. Perhaps some maneutly adopted. When that day comes a good share of the money raised to further the cause of temperance will be spent in maintaining drinking fountains in all the different sections of our cities. These fountains will furnish cold pure water to all who are a-thirst. Then in winter there will be places where hot drinks will be served at reasonable cost
 This practical method of combating intemperance will not obliterate the curse of drink but it will decrease it to a very perceptible degree The reason this cure is not more universally adopt ed is because 1t is too simD,e, lacking In any spectacular effect It does not necessitate speeches or pamphlets. conventions, presidents or secretaries
 But--the siRht of a line of working