The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-20

They that 80 70 seek the mixed wine
Look not thou upon the wine
When II IL red.
Wnsn 1t sparkleth in the cup.
When il goeth down smoothly;
At the last IT biteth ike & serpent
And stingeth like adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things
And thine heart shall utter Derverse things
Yea. thou shalt Be as he that Heth down in ths
midst Of the sea,
Or as he lieth upon the top Of a mast
They have stricken me.
And not hurt:
They have beaten me-
And felt Il not;
When shall I awake
win seek it yet again.
A step in advance Of this mere empha-
sis upon Solomon's inconuovertibile testi-
mony as to the evils Of strong drink is to
quote present-day instances to the same
effect. These may be drawn from each
days newspaper OF from personal obser-
walton. In truth. however. society has
advanced so far with respect 20 the use
Of intoxicants that there IS no dispute
upon the point that drunkenness is an
evil and 70 be Stunned. The place and
power Of the horrible example has been
overestimated by temperance propsgan-
fists. The men who see most Of the evil
effects of strong drink are the men who
are least moved thereby-the drunkards
themselves and the salOon-keepers.
SOME RAINBOWs-
a broader and more modern conception
of the theme deals with the present stat
US Of the temperance progress. A bow OF
promise spans the whole horizon. Tenn
~
the foremost political news OF the day.
Whichever way one turns within the
sphere Of legislation he finds the temper
ance issue the engrossing subject before
lawmakers. II IS good 20 realize. after all
the years Of seemingly hopeless cam
pGigning. that to-day the issue Is square
~ Joined between temperance and in
temperance. The liquor traffic is literally
fighting for its life
The modern Christian man IS now get
ting into his head the notion that temper
ance is not alone something to be wept
for and prayed for. but il Is a tangible
political result for which he may get out
and work. These modern local option cru
sades and the other forms Of antisaloon
legislation have been the means of enlist
ing whole army Of good citizens in prac-
teal political work. This debt society
owes TO the temperance cause: 1t has in
troduced a great company Of the best
type Of citizens into the realm Of practi-
cal politics. As never before. men are
learning how 10 bring into effect their
Ideals Of good government.
TIE TWENTIETH CENTURY MAN
This is the day OF the apotheosis OF
manhood. All considerations stand aside
for the coming man. Il is IN order that
the man may emerge that innumerable re-
ferns are being pressed to victory This
new conception OF the worth and place OF
manhood IS the real secret Of many Of the
reform laws that have lately gone on to
the statute books Of governments. Such
epochal events as the international con
gress upon the opium question, which IS
now sitting in Shanghai. may be traced
directly 70 the new apprehension OF the
worth Of the character Of men IN every
part Of the earth.
Il has become the settled conviction or
the worlds leaders that strong drink IS
one Of the greatest obstacles TO the prog
ress Of manhood. The social efficiency,
industrial efficiency. and political efficl-
ency OF the man Is hindered by the unre-
strained use OF and traffic in strong drink
DR.. Samuel G. Smith. in his book. The
Industrial Conflict" points out that dur
Ing the EOS ''in England IN three years
OF plenty wages were increased annually
500 900. 900. That made $500. 600 coo for three
years. Did the wOTkingmen. by common
impulse, fred by great ambition. save
these two hundred millions a year? DID
they change the savings into gold? Did
they control the hanks and dictate terms
eenn - go
the amount Of gold IN circulation in
Great Britain at that time.
IF these things had been done the past
thirty years would have seen a new Eng
land, and the whole world would have
been filed with the sense Of the great
achievements that had at last been
wrought by the working classes. They
would have superannuated the aristOc-
racy; they would have swept out age
worn superstitions they would have
come into their own empire. The working
people Of England earned 800. 10000 extra
per annum, and the sad companion fact
is that the drink bill OF England, too. dur
ing each Of those three years increased
Just S200.00OOo0"
Had there been tangible monster in
tho form OF a physical dragon that had
thus dsvoured the increase of mems sub
growth how quickly would all the knight
Hness OF the age have rallied 10 its ex-
unction. Our imaginations are growing
keener nowadays. and we are learning
that strong drink is no less dangerous
and worthy Of extinction because It is a
widely distributed evil rather than a per-
sonifed monster.
BRAINS AND RUN
Not viciousness. but thoughtIessness
and uncontrolled self-indulgence are re-
sponsible for most use OF strong drink.
Whenever a person sits down to consider
the highest possible use of his own DOW
ers he IS inevitably bound TO eliminate
from his habits the use Of LIQUOR. He
finds the best scientists in agreement up-
on the position that strong drink impairs
mans highest faculties. The twentieth
century is not satisfied 20 tolerate anv-
thing that binders the fullest DEVELOPMENT
or manhood In order that he NAV make
more OF himself and Of his children. ana
OF his children's children. a man must re-
pUdiate whatever hurts or hinders his
own capacity. Nobody will deny the
statement that man is not man ct his
best when he is in the grip OF the habit
Of strong drink.
A few weeks ago. in Southern city. I
saw the members OF a certain prominent
secret society foregathered In the lobby
OF the leading hotel. They wore the we'll
knewn regalia of their order. All OF them
were presumably gentlemen: actually. for
the moment most OF them were fools.
They had drunk 70 the point Of Stiffness.
The very negro servants of the hotel
spoke OF them contemptuously. The sober
members OF their order were shocked and
indignant. for they realized that the or
der as we'll as the individuals. was in
jured by such debauchery. No man can
hfcnna drunken and rntafr, A. 10000 ~.