TEMPERANCE NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3754, 14 March 1891, Page 2

TEMPERANCE NOTES.

THEIR POCKETS FELT IT. Specific instances are often more effective than generalizations, however stupendous. Is not the following suggestive? At Clarinda, lowa, the year before prohibition there were five saloons paying a license of §SOO each. Beside this a tax of one per cent was called for to pay the running expenses of the town. At the end of the year the town was in debt, but the next year after the saloon was outlawed, a one-half per cent tax paid the running expenses of the town, and left a surplus in the treasury. THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

A Christchurch exchange says that About nine years ago a great effort by the publican party resulted in their obtaining the consent of a majority of those who voted, to an increase of licensed houses in Sydenham. Upon the strength of this vote five new houses were established. When public opinion was in their favor they said that nothing in the wide wide world was more worthy of respect than public opinion. In the exuberance of their joy at the common sense the people displayed in giving their consent to an increase of licenses the publican party swore by the will of the people. When a majority of Sydenham ratepayers vote for Prohibition, will the liquor seller express equal readiness to swear by the will of the people ? They'll probably swear at it. Their regard for the will of the people, it recorded against th.rir interests, will cause them to make every attempt to resist the popular vote. THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR.

The cry has been sounded, and parrot like, repeated that "Poverty makes drunkards of working men." If there is any truth in the statement, then it is not to the credit of the man, or men, who wilfully adds crime to misfortune. I admit that the incentive to become saving and industrious is not so great where the earnings of labor are cut down to the lowest possible figure, but even then there is no excuse for intemperance. If lam in poverty it should be my aim to elevate myself, and it is a stern duty with me co avoid that which will make me poorer. Every sensible man knows that the liquor habit leads to degradation, disease, dirt and death. Not only does poverty follow intemperance, but ill health and every other ill will assuredly follow in its wake. It is therefore unjust when we excuse thfc intemperance ot a poor man to lay the blame of it to his poverty. We find drunkards everywhere, and, iu proportion to their numbers, the wealthy have more victims to the liquor habit than the working people, so that it is not poverty that is to blame.— Terrence V. Poioderly. WHAT ALCOHOL WILL DO FOE THE FARMER.

It may seem strange, but it is nevertheless true, that alcohol regularly applied to the thrifty farmer's stomach will remove the boards from the fence, let the cattle into his crops, kill his fruit trees, mortgage his farm and sow his field& with wild oats and thistles. It will take the paint off his building, break the glass out of tb,eui and fill them with rags. It will take the gloss from bis clothes and the polish from his manners, subdue his reasons, arouse his passions, bring sorrow and disgrace upon his family and topple him into a drunkard's grave. It will do this to the artisan and capitalist, the matron and maiden, as well as the farmer; for, iu its deadly enmity to the human race alcohol is no respecter of persons.— : St Louis Christian Advocate-