The Penn's Grove record., 1907-07-05
SOME THOUGHTS ON TEMPERANCE.
FRANCIS MURPHY DEAD

1ne Qeatn OF francis Murphy, III
Los Angeles, Cal, last Sunday recalls
the temperance crusade lie started over
thirty years ago, which resulted III great
good thru moral suasion in getting
thousands to sign the pledge and live a
temperate life. Being a reformed
drunkard himself he had. the deepest
sympathy for all who were addicted to
drink and no abuse for the liquor deal
er. His pledge vas
"With malice toward none, with
charity for all, l hereby pledge my
sacred honor that, God helping me,
/ will abstain from the use of all intoxi-
eating liquors as a beverage, and that
l will encourage others to abstain"
1t is estimated that he induced 6 5000,
900 persons to sign it. While many
never kept it yet he has done great good
in the past thirty years.
His son Robert S. Murphy, who was
aclass mate of the editor of the Penn's
Grove RECORD in Pennington Seminary
observation-disclosures ago, is now Lieu
tant Governor, of Pennsylvania.
DECLINE IN DRINKING
Since Frances Murphy began his
crusade as the greatest successor of
John B. Golf there has been great
strides in temperance reform. Con-
gresham Champ Clark, the great hum
orous, lecturer and political writer says:
The world is getting sober gradual
ly, slowly, but surely, no matter what
is said to the contrary. A man above
fifty-fve does not need statistics to
make him know that this is true of
our own people. Prior to the Civil war
~teetotalers were scarce as hens teeth.
Now one half of the voters are teetO-
talerS, and the other half take a snort
only when it is extremely convenient.
The drinking in America is confined
almost entirely to the towns. Another
thing more beer in proportion to Whis-
key is consumed than formerly, and
beer contains only about II eighth or
~one-seventh as much alcohol as whls-
ky. In Great Britain, Notwithstanding
increase of population, the drink bill
has fallen off e33, 600, 900 in six years,
and a pound sterling just about
equals S."
The increase of total abstinence is
very noticeable in our W region If
one WILCOX back thirty and forty years
ago when it was common for many far
mers to have whisky in their harvest
field and in their homes.
PRoHIBITIoN SPREADING
While Maine has been the Gibralter
of State Prohibition for over fifty years
and Kansas and Iowa have had the
trade under the ban of State law for
about twenty years, the increase Of
''dry' territory under local option laws
has been great within the past few years
especially in the South. The greater
part of the State of Kentucky famous
for its whisky, Tennessee, Mississippi,
Texas and parts of other states have
been brought under local option laws.
The constitutional convention recent
ly held in in the new state of Oklohoma
has provided that the state shall come
into the Union under constitional pro-
hibitiOn and manufactures of jugs and
bar fixtures in Georgia have closed down
their establishments because they are
satisfied that the Legislature which has
just convened will pass a prohibition
law.
Liquor MANUFACIU RES ALATMFD
The National Wholesale Liquor Deal
ers Association met in Atlantic City
two weeks ago and a comparison of fig
ureS showed a loss of business as aver
aged i'll former years; that from a light
detection in Eastern and Western
States, became appalling in the South
and Middle West. AT no time as the
liquor trade had so much to co intend
with as during the last year. The in
ternal Revenue Department has become
W more technical than previously,
under the pure food law, and is steadily
narrowing instead of broadening its
regulations.
The Brewers Association met in
Chicago two weeks ago and the vigil
lanance committee reported:
-. The recent alarming growth and in
fp nci6oafiop IF tho robibitioru cpirit