The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-08-15
ALCOHOL AND
OUR nation

The following is an address given
by Paul E. Shorb, at the Temper.
ance meeting Of the Church of the
Brethren District Conference at Sur
rey, June 9, 1912. Mr.. Shorb is a
young man of more than ordinary
ability and the address was so we'll
received that number. who heard
it have requested us to publish It:
Just five DAYS ago today we as Am
erican citizens, proud of the noble
! and glorious deeds of our ancestors,
celebrated the fourth Of July. And
why did we celebrate that day? Be.
cause that day represents to us a
day upon which our ancestors took
decisive step in their struggle for
Justice and equality. The outcome
Of that struggle was country foun-
ded on the principles of justice and
equality to all and special privilege
10 none.
Since the Revolutionary War Our
nation has made wonderful strides
in industrial, political, .educatlonal,
and religious fields. We have in 4
measure attained very large degree
of prosperity. But with all the ad-
vance and progress which we have
made in the many different callings
Of life. there are many things in this
country, the home and cradle Of
representative government, which
are striking at the very foundation
of our country.
And the one most important and
iar-reachfng in its effects is the evil
Of intemperance. Let us go back in
to history and view the causes of the
ruin and decay of some of the an
Gent governments, History is a
record of sad procession of world
tragedies Nations and empires in
turn have risen to greatness only
to falD. In every instance before the
death blow was struck from without,
evidence shows titanic and mon
ster DESTROYER within, under whose
operations the vitality and strength
of the nation were submerged in a
general degeneracy.
For centuries the world looked on
appalled, and overwhelmed, hut fin.
ally science has come to our aid AMI
by her slow hut rigid methods al
cohol poisoning has been identified
as the great destroyer Was it moral
degeneracy that was the one great
cause of the downfall of the Roman
Republic? Does not history teach us
that the greatness of any nation de.
Ponds upon the average character
and intelligence of each individual
citizen? Name to me if possible any
thing which is more destructive to
the moral sense, the mental capa.
city, and the character of a person
through alcohol. Is not alcohol the
monster which causes a person with
good selftontrol, oonsiderate, and
Etender-hearted, who would not will
E!ngly harm an insect, to degenerate
ito the point where he will strike
with a dagger or fire shot to kill
with little or no provocationo
No matter how high the stage OF
evolution the result is the same
The Indian, the negro, the mon
tgolian, and the highly civilized white
man are all dragged down and de-
graded 10y alcohol. It wipes GU.
self respect, Self control, the sense
of honor, the moral sense, and
produces the majority of our tramrs.
ipauDers, vagabonds, and criminals.
Statistics tell us that s. per cent OF
the crimes committed in our coun-
try are due to the direct or indirect
influence Of alcohol. "-
In every living being there is the
evolutionary impulse to rise and
progress Man is not changing in his
physical, but in his nervous makeup.
He is building up those cells, upon
whose proper action depends the
moral sense. Nature is trying to
produce a noble race OF men. But
alcoholic beverages reverse the pro.
3cesses Of nature and set back the
purposes Of creation. ">.
AS I have said above, alcohol at
tacks the line of evolution more
than any other. In the case Of man
the line of evolution is now In char
acter or moral advancement. And the
loss in character caused by the use
Of alcohol Is far greater and more
;,,,nnrtor4 ~ ,,ci than }ho Jnss oone.