The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-04-20
FLAG OF TOTAL ABSTINENCE
Or. Amos p. Wilder, Consul General
for United States at Shanghai,
Talks on Temperance.


a most stirring speech by Dr. Amos
p. Wilder, consul general for the
United States at Shanghai, on "a New
Civic and Christian Duty-Total Alb
stinence" The American consul
general said: Il want TO talk senslbly
and not unkindly. | shall try not to
forget that the world has known al
coholc drinks for 5000 years, though
by their sanctions Hindu, Buddhist,
and Mohammedan sections have been
protected against II until OF late. |
shall not forget that our ancestors
quite generally used these beverages; !;
that our relatives and friends are still
doing SO; indeed, their use Is quite
general. do not mean TO scold any
body, but II possible to say something
that shall lead some to be afraid Of
alcohol-some because they fear It
will affect their health; others be-
cause Of the menace to the state; and
some hers, perhaps, who do not fear
for themselves. but begin to see that
It may be their drinking which en-
courages others to drink
- have been fortunate myself In
that ! was born and reared in the
state Of Maine, where prohibition has
obtained for half century. 1t is diff
hcult to forbid liquor selling wholly
as II is dfiicult wholly to enforce the
laws against larceny or vagTancy, but
there is no splrituous or malt liquor
made in Maine, and, more important
drinking is not part OF the social
life of the people-llquor does not ap
pear at state banquets, nor on the
family table. Citize-s who themselves
have no scruples about drinking are
yet unwilling to violate the law OF
their state in securing liquor. These
things are, OF course great gain, gen
Grafton after generation is brought up
who do not know liquor, do not need
IT, II is no virtue in such that they
do not drink; they have been fortu.
nate. say, in not being schooled to
alcohol. It is not part of their life.
ed its perlls recall the horror with
which as a boy of II on Wis.
1t to a neighboring state first saw
signs advertising strong drink and
drinking shops in operation with con
sent OF law
81 have seen what an advantage K
is personally not to be dependent on
alcoholic drlnks-to be able to 90
about ones business without the ex
pense, the inconvenience, the risks OF
drinking; and | have seen the ad
vantage of a social life in which wine,
whisky, and all the rest are not only
not needed, but not even thought OF.
For these reasons / must be interested
In the question; also | must do my
part In leading men to think about It.
II is not necessary to reiterate the
evils Of drink. We will not stop for
those who do not observe them, and
who will not read to know that al
cohol-polsoning is the major peril OF
the age In which we live. II Is en-
trenched not only In profits, as was
slavery, but also In appetite, and
yields very slowly 10 attack. But It
is being forced home, that nations
may be wrecked today as in the past
by alcohol: that while Its reckless use
continues man can never come to his
full stature. and the vision Of a
higher humanity can never be full
filed. My own country spends bill
lion dollars a year for drink
But drinks ravages are worse in
some countries than in others, but
one who will consult the literature
Cthe extent OF It is surprising, espec.
tally from French scientlsts) viii find
that the results of alcohol-poisoning
alarms thoughtful men OF France and
Germany scarcely less than the coun-
tries which look with envy on the
glass OF wine leisurely slipped in o
family group in beautiful France, or
the quiet glass Of beer "unter den
linden" There may have been a time
when all this was as harmless as II
was innocent. It has gone The blsh
op Of Chalons' 3O,page pamphlet
reads like an appeal in saloon-ridden
district OF America. or whisky
drinking British city "One is justi
fed in believing" he says. That alco
hol is at the present time the chief
and most deadly Of the plaques that
infest humanity Must one tell you
that of a hundred insane there are
twenty.one alcoholics? That Of
hundred convicted criminals in our
courts there are forty or fifty alco
holics? That of a hundred murder
ers there are sixty alcoholics?"
After referring to the ruin that came
TO hundreds of the small white pop
ulation of China through drink. the
consul general made an impassioned
appeal to his hearers that was alive
with striking facts, and he finally
ended up by saying: Total abstin.
ence makes its claims to all It is
certainly the duty nearest at hand II
is the creed of many-to leave the
world a little happier than they found |.
e. Is this mere sentiment? Others
paste over their desks a pretty para
graph to the effect that they expect
to pass through the world but once
and II they have any good things tc |
do for their fellows they want to do .
il quickly. or they will not pass this |
way again. Here again we have a
Iaudable outreach; but Is there body
to IL? Do they want to do these .
things badly enough to sacrifice bit? |
II so let them fly the banner of total /
abstinence, Before God, know of nc
more timely service to ones fellow
men"