The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-31
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
FIGHTING A RoeEY.

There is no call for dragging in the
evils that might be under prohibit
tory law. Why not show more con.
Germ for those that are under license?
Why not preach and practice the Cath
olic's hope in moral suasion, the use
OF prayer and the Sacraments, and in
sist on their practice, instead of fight
ing DOGGY? Why not organize total
abstinence societies and work them
up until every male member of the
congregation is enrolled in them? OF
course the traffic is generous, but with
whose money? Their own, of course.
Yes, but how did they get it? For
every five cents they give the Church,
they get one hundred from the people.
They are simply the peoples aim
owners, charging ninety-five per cent
commission. What fools these mortals
be to pay such taxi and what do
they get for it? While the LIQUOR
dealer gets credit for his generous
dollars, these poor dupes get a raking
for wasting their hard-earned wages
IN the saloon and having only a quar-
ter for the monthly collection; that is,
If they are able to go to Mass at all.
Whose is the best advice? His who
denounces prohibition and counsels
moderate drinking, or his who advo-
Gates the total abstinence pledge and
letting the prohibitionists alone? The
supreme question for the Catholic is,
or should be: What can do in the
premises that will give most glory to
God, prevent most sin and suffering,
and better the condition of the Church?
The Evils It Produces.
Drink may not produce so large a
per cent of sin, suffering, crime and
disease as it is charged with, but it
produces more than most people are
willing to admit; and all that it pro-
duces could be avoided. Eliminate
these evils and bring in the blessings
sane mind and loving heart would
procure with the health, time and
money saved by this elimination
draw your own conclusion. 1t has
been said that drink may not nave
produced the per cent of evil it is
charged with. But go to the peniten-
tlaries, the jails, the warehouses, the
reform schools, the county homes
the infirmaries, the orphan asylums,
the old folks and children's homes,
and make scientific study of the
cases there, and see if it will not
prove better eye-opener than
nip" Of old rye. 1t is not necessary
to grasp a quart bottle to get a firm
grip of the drink problem. If non
Catholics had spent their time and
money in drink, they would not have
the millions they have for home and
foreign missions and social and edu-
catlonal work, which some of us envy
them; nor the chance to proselytize
children of the Catholic poor. They
would have wretched poor of their
own to look after. The people of this
country spend more than an average
of fifteen dollars apiece, for men,
women and children, for drink annual
ly. Catholics unfortunately drink their
share. You can figure the cost for
yourself. Four hundred thousand
times fifteen dollars-welI, if the Cath
ol1cs OF the Diocese of Pittsburg had
only ten per cent of that sinful waste,
there would be no call for orphans
collections, tag days, etc. Stop and
think, then start to work; not to op-
pose prohibition, but to promote So
briefly by the practice of total abstin-
ence and the formation of total alb
stinence societies.