The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-04-03
VIEWS Of LINCOLNTONIANS
ON THE LIQUOR QUESTION

They know they are not demons, not
even the worst of men. They know
that generally they are kind, generous
and charitable, even beyond the ex-
ample of their more staid and sober
neighbors. They are practical phil
anthropists and they glow with gen.
erous and brotherly zeal that mere
theorists are incapable of feeling.
Benevolence and charity possess their
nunciations against dram-sellers and
dram-drinkers are unjust as well as
impolitic. have not inquired at what
period of time the use of Intoxicating
liquors commenced nor is it import
ant to know. 1t is sufficient that to
all of us the practice of drinking is
just as old as the world itself-that
is, we have seen the one just as long
as the other. When all of us who
have now reached the years of ma
turity, first opened our eyes upon the
stage of existence, we found intoxi-
cant liquors recognized by everybody,
used by everybody, repudiated by no
body. 1t commonly entered into the
first draught of the infant and the
last of the dying man. From the side
board Of the parson down to the rag
ged pocket of the homeless loafer it
was constantly found Physicians
prescribed it in this and the other
diseases; government provided it for
soldiers and sailors and to have a
rolling or raising, husking or hoe
down anywhere about without it was
positively insufferable.
So, too, it was everywhere respect
able article of manufacture and of
merchandise. The making of it was
regarded as an honorable livelihood
and he who could make most was the
most enterprising and respectable
Manufacturers of it were everywhere
erected, in which all the earthly
goods of the owners were invested.
Merchants bought and sold it by
wholesale and retail, with precisely
the same feeling on the part of the
seller, buyer and by-stander as are
felt at the selling and buying of the
necessaries of life. Universal public
opinion not only tolerated but re-
cognized and adopted it's use. 1t is
true that even then it was known and
acknowledged that many were greatly
injured by it but none seemed to think
that the injury arose from the use of
bad thing, but from the abuse of a
very good thing. The victims of it
were to be pitied just as the heir of
consumption and other hereditary dis
ease. If that is true, it is wonderful
that some should think and act now
as all thought and acted seventy-seven
years ago and is it just to assail, con-
denim, or despise them for doing so?
The universal sense of mankind on
any subject is an argument or at least
an influence not easily overcome.
Another error, as it seems to me-
into which the old reformers fell, was
the position that all habuitual drunk
ards were entirely incorrigible and
therefore must be turned adrift and
damned without remedy in order thai
the grace of temperance might abound
There is in this something so repug,
nant to humanity, SO uncharitable, sc
cold-blooded and feelingless that II
never did nor never can enlist the en-.
/ thusiasm of popular cause. We coulC
not lose the man who taught tive
could not hear him with patience. The
heart could not throw open It's portals
to 1t; the generous man could no
1t looked SO iiendishly selfish, so like
throwing fathers and brothers over
board to tighten the boat for our Sc
curity that the noble minded shranl
from the manifest meanness of the
thing and besides this, the benefit o
II reformation to be effected by sucl
Il system where too remote in point o
time to warmly engage many in 1T
behalf, Few can be induced to labol
exclusively for posterity and none will
do 1t enthusiastically. Posterity hai
done nothing for us, and theorize on /
as we may, practically we shall d,
very little for 1t unless we are mad,
to think we are at the same time doinl
something for ourselves. What al
ignorance of human nature does it ex
hibit to ask or expect a whole commu
nifty to rise up and labor for the tenn
poral happiness of others after them
selves shall be consigned to the dus
when a majority of that communit
take no pains whatever to secure thei
own welfare at no great distant day
Great distance in either time or spac
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