The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-03-25
OUR NATIONAL BONDAGE.
March 2S. O9-(Prov. 23.2s.35).

IN the life of our Lord was the oc.
sasion when. addressing the people
on the subject Of liberty, they bristled
up and said, I'VE be Abraham's seed
aud were never in bondage to any
man." They willingly shut their eyes
to the long centuries which Abraham's
seed had passed in captivity, in Egypt.
in Assyrla, in Babylonia, and that
even at that very moment they
we're subject-nation living in the
dying hours of national life.
Nation In Chains.
But such a condition OF mind is not
peculiar to the Jews OF that day. 1t
will be just as difficult to convince
some modern optimists that the
United States Of America Is a nation
IN chains. Such peorle scout the idea
that intemperance like a Shiny and
deadly octopus has thrown his tenta-
eles around the national, municipal.
military, ecclesiastical, social, literary
and individual life of this country like
the devil-fsh of Victor Hugo's story.
These obtectors are in the habit OF
calling people who direct attention to
she bondage OF the whiskey trust
-cranks," fanatics" "croakers," "im.
practicables," sometimes even "em-
bryotic anarchists"
Municipal Corruption.
Meanwhile the cities are in the
clutches OF the rum power, the real
ballot box the saloon keepers vest
pocket and this hydra-headed mon
ster rears it's horrid crest in the halls
ef legislation, the editorial sanctum.
The judicial court room. the scientists
laboratory, the university class room,
she publishers print shop. yea, even
The pulpit recognizes its power.
II perverts the facts of history, II
Juggles figures so as to make them
tell the most Infamous lies, it bribes
legislators, 1t perjures itself in the
witness box, 1t causes justice to tear
the bandage from her eyes and wink
at bloated iniquity, it puts a gag in
the mouth of the preacher. 1t stands
st the elbow of the editor and para
yzes his fingers, it pulls the wool
over the eyes Of the needless so that
they see things through distorted
medium. 1t has bribes for one class,
biudgeons for another class, bullets
and bombs for another class. books
for another class, beer for another
class, and blindness black and baleful
for all And the whole nation in the
blind staggers of intoxication, cries
out, 1--WE were never in bondage to
rny mani"
Facing the Facts.
What can we do about it? In the
drst place we can open our eyes to
the facts in the case. and refuse to
be hoodwinked by the saloon advo
Gates, nor lulled to sleep by the era.
die-rockers, singing. Hush. my dear.
lie still and slumber." The liquor in
terest Is past master in the COM
pounding Of seCatives and soporifics.
II knows how to drug mankind from
the nursing bottle of the infant in the
cradle, to the stimulating bottle of
the statesman in his second child
hood. 1t can Eut peoplc to sleep on
the brink of & volcano and the back
OF an earthquake. When awful dis.
asters are coming on like a cyclone 1t
can cause whole communities to say.
"A little more folding of the arms to
rest" 1t knows how to mix an ano-
Syne so that men like silly sheep will
go unhesitatingly to the slaughter
nay, even lick the hand that Stays
fhem The first thing then to do. Is
10 refuse to touch. taste. handle or
smell the connections that are offered,
that the brain may be clear, the judg-
ment sound, the reason well-poised,
the will unfettered to look the evil
squarely in the face, to trace the
hideous coils of the serpent, and to
accurately judge his nationwide con-
srol. We need 20 put the logic of the
scholar, the scalpel Of the scientist,
the conclusions OF the historian. the
fens of the microscope, the object
glass Of the Word of God on this great
subject.
Agitation Necessary.
And in the next place. being awake
10 the situation we can discuss the
question till men are compelled to
listen to this burning subject. Agita-
tion Is the first step towards reforma.
ton. We must keep at 1t, and not
put the whole matter in the hands
OF few, honest but erratic souls. II
is not the men who see only one side
of subject that carry great reforms
but those who see all sides of It in the
last analysis. The typical reformer
pushes on one portion of the body poll.
tic until In sheer desperation the peo-
pie awake, see the peril and put It |
away He has his mission, let us not
undervalue the man who acts as fire
alarm to arouse the sleeping.
The sailor might as reasonably |
criticise the fog horn on the jutting
reef for disturbing his slumbers when |
ais vessel is headed for the rocks as
for society to denounce the reformer |
who lifts up Warning voice against the |
evils Of intemperance. The fire bell |
arouses the sleepers, calls out the de- |