The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-11-03
The Increase Of Temperance.

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There is nothing surprising In re
cent army statistics showing tha
both officers and enlisted men ar
constantly growing more temperat
10 the use OF intoxicating liquors
The same statement could be mad
OF almost every class Of men, II no
quite Of every class. The proof tha
10 tnis country men are becomin,
more temperate 10 the use of LIQUOR,
IS aoundant and conclusive. 1t ha.
been frequently asserted that tn,
women of this day drink more intoxi.
eating liquors than did those OF ter
or twenty years ago; but whethel
that Is true or not. the fact Is quite
contrariwise as to the men. No,
only Is the use OF liquors among those
who use 1t, at all more moderate than
1t used to be, but the number OF total
aostalners Is increasing both absolute.
ly and relatively. Drunkenness Is
becoming rarer phenomenon than
1t used to be, and what is more, and
probably one OF the causes of that
fact, drunkenness incurs a heavier
social and economic penalty than II
used to. A good many men who,
twenty years ago. were inclined 70
regard ''spree" as merely q venting
OF manly vigOr, and therefore at to
excite only feelings OF amusement, if
not indeed Of admiration, now look
on drunkenness as beastly. The
point Of view has been changed .and
elevated. The same can be said, an.
parently, Of the better classes 10
England, where sporty lords and
drunken dukes have become quite as
rare as they are reasonably expected
to be. The case, however, is sadly
different with England's working
classes, as far as can be estimated
1t develops, in the discussion OF
Chancellor Lloyd Georges compulsory
insurance bill, that alcoholic women
and children are among the most
serious and difficult Of the problems
to be reconciled. The question OF
taxing the state, the employers and
FELLOW workmen to relieve the inca.
pacity OF such q large proportion OF
the industrial army is found to be
delicate and harrassing 10 the ex.
treme.
1t is a much brighter picture the
American nation presents, especially
10 view Of the supercilious superiority
the English people are won't to main.
tam toward our civilization. Many
causes have contributed to produce
this result In America. The chief OF
these probably is the growing insis-
tence on the part Of business men on
The sobrlety Of their employees. When
drunkenness brings certain dismissal
and even habit of using liquors ia
any degree puts an employe under
aistrust, there Is very compelling
argument, not merely for habits of
sobrlety, but for total abstaInence.
Doubtless, too, this growth OF sobriety
~ due 10 a large measure to the
growth Of the average intelligence,
which enables men to appreciate both
The demoralizing consequences of
drinking, the impairment of efficiency
and ruin of health which It causes as
we'll as the utter futllity aod banality
of 1t. II the economic and social
forces that are working silently to
make the race more temperate 10 the
use OF liquor were adequately supple
nented by precept and example both
In the home and 10 the school, the
next generation, or at most the one
succeeding that, would number SO
many teetotalers and SO few drunk.
ards as to make the work Of trying to
put The saloons out OF business con.
'iderably supererogatory. ory.--Lewiston
Tribune.