The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-01-12
SELF";OyERNMENT

Much Is being said today of the mat
ter OF prohibition. It is one of the
live questions OF the day, and the best
thought OF this generation Is being
applied to the solution of the liquor
problem. The trend of the times is
toward Rbstenance and temperate
drinking. Business demands it and So
ciety is making stand for sobriety
Tho press and the pulpit are almost
solIdly for those laws which will
strengthen tho weak and make 1t hard
soc them TO obtain that which will
destroy the efficiency of worker anu
thinker II taken to excess.
Perhaps the greatest good is being
done by teaching the evils OF excen-
sive drinking. The text books OF the
schools have much in them to teacn
tho pupil to abstain from intemper-
late drinking of alcoholic beverages.
Their phys!o!os!es tel! them that II
they drink they will be weaker than
II they abstain-weaker both physI-
cally anu mentally. With proper en-
phasis placed upon this teaching by
the conscientious teacher, there will
te many boys and girls growing up
|as advocates Of stronger bottles and
minds through total abstenance.
Other factors in this temperate
fight Is being made by men of big
business. The railroads now will nor
employ man who drinks, factories
will give preference to sober men. So
a young man Is being forced, whether
or not he wishes it. to be temperate.
The last step will be taken when no
girl ~ill tolerate drinking among her
boy friends. and no woman will wed
"a drinking man. Many OF them have
already taken this step. but It will
DO long, we fear. before the rule be-
comes universal.
The following editorial from The
Chicago Tribune is going the rounds:
Ungoveined individuals will not
make. self governed body. In Rus,
eia, where government never departs
from tho nursery theory, It is to be
expected that edicts rather than indt.
vidual control will command conduct,
Here 1t is more in keeping with our
Ideas that the individual should be
leglslated at as little as possible. and
should be governed by his own INTEL
lisence as much as possible.
We do not disparage prohibitory
statutes In restraint Of the liquor bus-
mess. To the extent that they are
effective they are beneficial. but they
ate not perfect substitutes for the
better thing of seif-government Of
habit without law. Intelligence arous-
ed BY education is surer preventive.
In the case OF liquor as IN other
things the. :>-sca....SS..sSS:;; :s>-sc...SS.ssSS::y;; law
Liquor can be attncked by intelli-
gencc. One difficulty In the way II
abstenance for n1scy years was the
determination OF advocates OF pref. /,
blton Ito make It q moral issue. The
man who pushed his way into q saloon
once day OF twice q day was not
copscfOua OF moral detection. When
he was told that he offended good
mokals by fekingsa q drink he resented
| Tie chargs and was more than inpar-.
yious TO 1T He was hostile SO 8. 8:
/ IIGWhens he IL told that his shabit az
Iurinking has Inevitable consequences
| ~ the shape OF disease decreased Off.
cheney. q, shortened life. with the pos.
ability Of total incapac city and iesti-
tuttons no lie being reached. "a. q man
ner which permits no resentment. II
| lisi true that I'm many cases there is s
dsteftoratton OF mo rails as the result,