Year: 1875

L
article from "Flora," on the subject |
of manufacturing ardent spirits.
Now as think there are two sides
to this question, if you think it not
out of place, I wish to show up the
opposite side once more.


We fear ''Flora" is inclined to be
little fanatical upon this subject !
Like the majority of Temperance
workers, in our opinion, they go too
far, and try to do too much. "Flora"
talks about prohibition, and says,
"We, the,sovereigns of this Republic,
have the power, and should prohibit
it altogether" Now to my mind, this
is grand mistake. Thousands of
men, who would vote to enact laws
to regulate and restrict the sale and
use of liquor to legitimate purposes,
would never touch prohibitory law.
am willing to cast my ballot in fa
vor of the former (and if enforced, the
manufacture would also be restricted
but I cannot vote to prohibit, until
as good substitute is put in its
place for medicinal and mechanical
purposes.


I know that some fanatical physi-
clans will say it is of no value at all
as a medicine. I am personally ac-
quainted with two of this class, who
will unchristianize every one that has
anything to do with the manufacture
of whisky, from the one that hoes the
corn, to the one that makes the bar
rels, and who at the same time are
using it in their practice, and max
ing it equal to the very best tonics
they have. The greatest enthusiast
I ever saw upon this subject was
minister of the Gospel. He would
talk against, preach against, bemean
his members for selling their grain to
the distiller, and finally prevailed on
the authorities of his charge to pass
resolutions, forbidding his members
selling either grain, hay, wood
stock, or even trading at the store
owned by the Distillery firm, and all
this time he was using it in his family
as medicine, hoping that it might
be the means of sustaining Life in
those he loved, and during the
Crusade" movement, in which he
almost verged on insanity, he was
seen to get his 'little brown Jug"
filed in the town where it is made.


Now this is fanaticism and incon-
sistency, in about equal parts, and
the reader may call it what he pleas
es. We should be consistent, as well
as temperate, if we wish our infu-
ence felt to be for good by those
around us.


"Flora" says, ''some persons look at
distilleries from standpoint of a
desire to put money in their pockets,
and therefore support them" There
it is again; every one that does not
take off his hat, and yell with the
crowd, has self-interest at stake
Just as it was when the license ques-
ton was being discussed. All those
who were in favor of license (no diff
ference how honest they werein their
opinions) were classed with drunk
ards, and drunkard makers.


As to upholding distilleries for the
purpose of putting money in our
pockets, we deny at once. We do
not propose to sell out SO low down.
We pity the man that has no other
argument for the manufacture of
whisky, than a market for his grain
To stop the use of whisky as bev-
erage, would not injure the producer
in the least. If there was no whis
ky used as a beverage, and all men
were sober, and good providers for
their families, there would be vast
amount more provisions consumed
by those who now consume the grain
in the shape of whisky. But to
make this change, is not within our
power, or we would certainly do it.


So long as there is demand for
ardent spirits for legitimate pur
poses, it will be made, and made
from the surplus grain, over and
above other demands. Therefore If
1 sell my grain at all, 1 must know,
that it is either going directly to
the distillery, or will fill place that
will cause the grain of some one else
to 60 there in its stead.


My advice to Temperance workers


if they think it worth listening toy
is, not to attempt impossibiities; en-
force the law as we have it against
unlawful whisky sellers and whisky
drinkers; bring up your children in
the nurture aud admonition of the
Lord; for we have the assurance in
His Holy Word, if we train them up
} in the way they should go, when
they become old they will not depart
from it. Do this, and I venture to
say that the next generation will
: not be one of vice and dissipation.
{ P. W. G.


The Cincinnati Enquirer thus &C
counts for the losses of its party IN
Indiana:


"The Democratic party promised
J ,oEorno II, fhot Stota on6 itS ,pO1S