Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-01-14


Christian Temperance Union)
PROHIBITION SPIRIT.
Excerpts from Address before the
Fortieth Annual Convention of the Ma
tional Womans Christian Temperance
Upion.)
tBy hrs L N. n. STEVENS Presi-
dent)
There Is abroad an immense sentl-
ment In favor Of prohibition-a sentf-
ment often unexpressed, unwritten, al
most unknown even by the possessors.
Today as never before the spirit OF
prohibition is in the air. The aim
of today's civilization Is to prohibit
or destroy any thing which is danger-
Gus to the life OF the people. the
hook worm, the mosquito, the fly, IN
fected food, unsanitary houses, rae
tories or stores with unsafe fouDda'
tions, are included In this list, and
we might add war. pestilence. famine,
hurricane and food: yet the use OF
alcoholic drink causes greater loss OF
life than all these combined. Scientinc
research reveals that intoxicating
liquors are not necessity for medl'
cal, scientific or pharmaceutical pur>
poses. The sociologists compile stat
istics plainly showing that strong
drink causes poverty, misery, degrada'
ton and death. The commercial ano
business corporations see its damag'
ing, destructive effects and are estab'
lishirg prohibitory laws of their own
forbidding the use Of Intoxicating
liquor by their employees. The imam
ciers who have thought liquor revenue
was necessary are learning how 10
reckon profit and loss as applied to the
liquor trade.
Millions of our people are awake to
the magnitude Of the liquor business
and believe it should be prohibited
There are other millions who are not
educated in regard to the poisonous
nature and the terrible effects OF alco
/ hol. With renewed enthusiasm the
truth must be proclaimed from pulpit
and platform. in the highway and BY
way, in Sunday school aud public
| school, and in the home; not only by
personal and public speech. but by
abundant dissemination OF the best
temperance literature such as the
National W. C. T. u. publishing
house is ready to supply.
Total abstinence is the bed rock up
on which the w. C. T. U. has ever
been building. The .ota! abstinence
pledge always has been test OF mem
bership in the W. c. T. q. All of the
forty departments have been created
as as help in promoting total abstin
ence. Witness the pretty scene OF the
young mother bringing to the W. c. T
U. meeting her little child; sacredly
dedicating him or her to life OF pur
! ity-aud Of total abstinence, the chilo
| being received as white ribbon re
cruit What an impressive, imposing
sight it would be, could there pass be
fore US in joyous parade the hundred:
of thousands of Loyal Temperance LIE
gioners. the still greater number who
| are being taught total abstinence II
the Sunday schools. and the 10000.
600 youth of the public schools, entt
tied by law to be taught the nature o
alcohol and the damaging results o.
It's use.
The voice Of business is loudly
raised against strong drink. The mos
striking illustration of this is furnish
ed by the railroad companies. The
American railway companies, which
employ upward of million and
half of persons, have rule to the eff
feet that the use of intoxicants BY
employees while on duty is prohibited
Their use and the frequentihg o
places where they are sold is suffi
cient cause for dismissal. Other lines
| of business are taking similar action
| not always from philanthropic mo
tives, but for the sake Of financial ad
vantage, recognizing that the ell
cheney Of their employees is lesseneo
by the use Of strong drink, ever
though taken in moderation. Insur
ance companies, athletic societies, an6
various fraternal organizations are al
testifyiug to the ruinous results o
alcoholic beverages. Even the bar
tenders union in advertising for bar
! tenders calls for total abstainers, say
ing that booze hits the bartender just
as strongly as it hits the man In from
who pays for it. If any one wants tc
drink let the man on the other side o
the bar do It."
For years the W. C. T. U. through
its DO Everything policy has beer
girdling the gigantic tree Of the liquo,
traffic. The tree that is girdled dies
The liquor traffic is doomed. Pleas
note that it is not alone the saloon
but the liquor traffic we seek to de
stroy. The w. C.. T. U. Is anti-liquol
making. anti-liquor importing. anti
nj i,,h