The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-09-23

Is we'll chosen as
8 keynote, though 1t is doubtful If its
bearing will be recognized at first.
Temperance, to most people means
total abstinence from intoxicating
drinks as a beverage and prohibition
OF the manufacture, sale, and use or
The Same by the government. But
there is another large class Of people
who declare, with the dictionary, that
temperance means the moderate use
OF anything and that neither the
Rible. medical science or human his
tory support the total abstinence
view. Both parties do agree that
the abuse of intoxicants is a curse, al
ways has been and always will be.
and are a unit in the conviction that
the use and sale should be restricted
10 the lowest possible point. There
is a third class which stands for
swinsh qualification Of all bodily APP
petite, but they are a small minority
OF saciety and need not be considered
in this connection.
Radicals and Conservatives.
Here then, are the two parties, the
radicals and the conservatives. The
one class would Danish alcohol from
lhe face of the earth knock in the
head of every barrel break every
bottle. and destroy every form of in.
loNicant used as Il beverage, by every
human being on this planet. The
other class would not make men vir-
tuous by removing the temptation,
hut would educate, instruct and de-
rplop a race of men who would move
as undisturbed and unharmed amid
spirtuous temptations as Daniel in
the Lions den. Both parties desire
the same end. How can it be reached?
Certainly not by maintaining a
pitched battle among themselves.
Much of modern so-called temper
suce work is verbal abuse of the 9th
er side. Instead of bombarding the
common enemy, the temperance agl-
tators train their guns upon those
who do not wear their uniform. The
conservative calls the radical hot
headed, impracticabe, fanatcal. He
is a disturber of the peace. a crank.
a mnatic a one-idea man. And the
radical retorts in kind that the con
gerYative is an old foey, behind the
times, gone to seed obsolete, out or
date. a drag on the wheels of pro
gross. a heartless back number. We
bear this from pulpit and platform.
We read it in paper and magazine
two forces ostensibly bent on righte-
ousness, deliberately bombarding each
other.
If the practical dscontinuance of
the evils of intemperance is the thing
aimed at, why not bring to the cam
paign every available force. Why not
use Love, and Light and Law against
the foe, instead of putting love and
1aw at loggerheads, each crying out
ag- nst the other as failure, and
neither doing anything to fight the
curse.
Striking Illustration.
recent incident Is case in point.
A temperance orator known through
out the country as radical prohib'
itionist has made a public announce
meat that henceforth instead of cast
ing mis- influence in one direction, and
in one direction only, he proposes to
joia hands with every man no matter
how far along he may be IN his con-
ception of civic righteousness, who is
honestly desirous of curtailing the
rum power He made the point very
clear that he will not compromise
with the enemy but lie will COM
promise with the brethren. And he
uses this Illustration. When the sail
or is out on the high seas with deep
water under him, and no distractions
anywhere he can sail as he pleases,
but when he is trying to make the
harbor, in company With all sorts OF
craft headed for the same port, and
there are reefs and shoals in addition,
II is absolutely necessary to yield to
Others, to sheer off in this direction,
and even back up possibly at times
In order that he and all his fellow
voyagers may safely make the port.
That is. altogether different spirit
than hoisting the black flag, compell-
ing every disagreeing captive to walk
the plank, insisting that my way is
the only way, and that all who dare
To think differently are knaves or i'm
beetles. In other words, instead of
antagonizing he proposes to comprom-
Use with those who now see things
from a different angle than his, with
the idea that possibly he himself may
come to see that wisdom will not die
with him. and that some other meth
ed II it does not succeed, may al
least have suck fair trial that every
body will be satisfied of its inefiicien-
cy. Compromise! Not with the enc
ry, but with the brethren. that at
least is a plan worth considering, IL
MOI snch com mNroNiso narmittedl