Ntworvvi rpw,
The Commoner
MAY, 1915
7
more strictly against the use of alcohol by em
ployes. Why? Because a clear brain and a
steady nerve are required in every important
avenue of industry, and alcohol befuddles the
brain and paralyzes the nerves
No employer .cares to put business in the hands
of a tippler; the man who drinks can not. safely
bo trusted with the care of life or property.
Readfthe advertisements in the want columns..
Did you ever see an item like this: "Wanted A
good moderate drinker for a responsible posi
tion." No saloon-keeper would stand sponsor
for such an advertisement, for total abstinence is
a virtue even behind .the bar.
LOYALTY TO RUM VS. LOYALTY TO GOV
ERNMENT There has been a growing disposition in this!
country and throughout the world, to emphasize
the evils of strong drink, but even the most en
thusiastic advocates of temperance iiave .been
surprised at the ghastly light which the war
in Europe has thrown upon the subject. It has
been xfound that patriotism patriotism, that
compelling force which throughout the ages has'
led men to offer their lives for their country
is no match for the appetite which alcohol cul
tivates in its victims. Loyalty to'Bacchus, Gam
brinus and Barleycorn, Is greater than loyalty
to king, or kaiser, or czar. The use of drink has
been found to be so destructive of efficiency, that
the belligerent governments, not on moral
grounds, but purely on economic grounds, have
been compelled to resort to restrictive measures.
The aeroplane that drops its bomb from "above
and the submarine which shoots its torpedo from
below are less to be feared than the schooner
that crosses the bar.
NO LINE BETWEEN MODERATION AND
EXCESS
But why-talk of the moderate use of alcoholic
drinks? There is no fixed line at which drinking
ceases to bo moderate and becomes excessive.
Every victim of the habit has sought for this
line, 'but he has souglit in vain; like the .horizon,
it recedes from him as he advances until It final
ly disappears in the starless night of drunken
ness. No one begins to drink with the expecta
tion of yielding to the appetite; most of the men'
who have been wrecked by alcohol have had
their period of boasting when they proclaimed
their ability to drink or leave it alone at will.
It is not safe to trifle with disease, and drinking
becomes a disease as soon as the use of it has
caused a craving for it. No age is immune from
the appetite for alcohol. It fastens itself as
readily upon those, of advanced years as upon
those in youth or In middle life. A physiclaa
recently told mo of a case in which a man took
his first taste of whiskey when he was above
seventy, and was never sober again during the
remaining four years of his life. Who can .de
fend the taking of such risks as those Involved
in- the use of intoxicating liquor? All history,
sacred and profane, warns us against the wor
ship of the bleer-eyed god.
"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,,
when it giveth its color in the cup, when it
moveth itself aright.
"At thelast it biteth like a serpent, and sting
eth like an adder."
This is the admonition of Solomon. Alcohol
still bites; it still stings. Surely it is the iart of
wisdom to "touoh not, taste not, and handle
not" a thing, which, even when used sparingly
causes an appreciable loss in health, in strength, '
and in service; which, when used in so-called'
moderation, causes wretchedness, cruelty and
crime, and which' finds its culmination in de
lerium tremens, the most terrorizing experience
through which a human being can pass.
- DRINK WRONGS tfOME AND SOCIETY,
But I am not willing to rest the- case in favor
of total abstinence entirely upon the- ground thdt
one -who uses alcohol brings danger upon him
self. That argument, while it should be suffi
cient to deter the prudent man, has in- it an ele-'
ment of selfishness. While one is justified in .
abstaining from that which would reduce his
physical and mental capacity below the Tuafci
mum, he can not ignore the effect which his
conduct has-upon others, and'no one in this land
and age can be Ignorant of the suffering and in-
justice which alcohol has brought into the home.
In casea innumerable the husband has been con-
verted into a beast, and the burden of support
ing the family has been thrown upon the wife.
In casea without number drink has robbed thdt
children of the guardianship of a father, somtlt
times even of the affectionate care of & motUerr
made the coming of the parent a cause of alarm,
Boys, Will You Sign the Pledge With Me?
A pledge of total abstinence is being signed by
a host of boys in Michigan why not the boys of
other states as well? A book will bo opened at
The Commoner ofilce, wherein will be entered
the names and addresses of those who sign this
pledge with mo. Cut out tho pledge, paste it on
a piece of paper and sign it. Lay tho pledgo
away that you may have it as a reminder of tho
decision you have made, but send a postal card
to The Commoner, stating that you have signed
it, and giving your ago and address. If ypu do
not caro to stato your ago, uso tho word "adult,"
instead of giving tho number of years. Receipt
of theso pledges will be acknowledged by publi
cation In Tho Commoner in which only the nae
and address will bo given. Ask others to sign
with you sccuro as many signatures as possible
and thus bo tho means of spreading the Infln-
onco of the pledge. Those who abstain froM
drink do good not only to themselves, but te
thoso also who are encouraged by their example.
W. J. BRYAN;
' As. . Sl&-;
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4t ' AbkAttii,
(This Is tho temperance pledgo In Mr. Bryan's own handwriting that he presented to i,000
boys at Ann Arbor. It will bo circulated all over tho stato by boys of the Y. M. C. A. Mr.
Bryan believes that 60,000 Michigan boys will sign with him. Detroit (Michigan) Times.)
While Mr. Bryan asks tho readers of Tho Commoner to sign with him, ho desires it understood
that .his object is to secure signers, not merely to enjoy the honor of signing with others. If any
one prefers to- sign by himself, let him do so. Or, if he prefers, let him ask any one he plcayef
to sign with him. But whether alone or with another, let him SIGN.
ii!
and changed tho smile of welcome into an ex-'
pression of fear. Neither can we forget the
burden that drink throws upon society, first, in
decreasing the productive power of wage earn
ers and, second, in imposing a pecuniary burdon
upon all for the care of those who, through the
uso, of liquor, have been brought to the poor
house or to tho penitentiary.
INFLUENCE OF EXAMPLE
But there Is. another argument the force
,of which I feel sure this audience will appreciate,
namely, man's responsibility, for the example
which he sets to others. If one uses Intoxicat
ing liquor himself he can not well advise others
against it; at least, he is not apt to do so, for
the consciousness of' Inconsistency puts a re
straint upon his tongue.
WHY .SIGN THE PLEDGE?
The signing of the pledge is the outward evi
dence of an inward resolve which everyone must
take who has reached the decision not to drink.
If you do not Intend to use liquor, why not let
your determination help others as well as your
self? Each individual has an influence and that
influence is on one side pf the line or the other.
If one drinks, his influence Is necessarily on the
side of drinking; if he does not drink, his influ-,
ence is on the side of total abstinence. Surely
the appetite for intoxicants must be strong in
deed if it can overcome the natural desire of
every good citizen to contribute his mite to so
righteous a cause. In several of the billigercnt
nations the sovereign has announced his abstin
ence from the use of liquor in order that his
example may encourage his subjects to abstain;
in this land, where every citizen is a sovereign,
why should the individual be less concerned
about the influence of his example.
A' CALL TO THE COLORS
The world is aroused to the menace of alco
hol war has been declared against it in every
civilized land and there is no neutral ground. I
call you to the colors to the standard raised by
the National Abstainers Union for "Health and
Home, and Humanity," Rise! Let us pledge
our support to the cause in water in water, the
daily'need of every living thing. It ascends from
the seas, obedient to the summons of the sun,
and descending, showers blessings- upon the
earth; it gives of i,ts sparkling beauty to tho
fragrant flowers; its alchemy transmutes base
clay Into golden grain; it is the canvas upon
which the finger of the Infinite traces the radiant
bow of promise. It Is the drink that refreshes
and adds no sorrow with it Jehovah looked
upon it at Creation's dawn and said "It ii
good."
MISSISSIPPI ENDORSES NATIONAL AI)Ml?f '
ISTRATION
c
E. Al Fitzgerald offered the following resplu
tion endorsing the national administration,
which was unanimously adopted, and the secre
tary of the executive committee instructed tfi
send copies of same to tho President Wilson and
Secretary of State Bryan.
"Resolved, by the democratic stato executivs
committee assembled In the city of Jackson on
April 14, 1916:
"That wo most unqualifiedly endorse the very
able and patriotic administration of President t
Wilson. Not since the civil war has a president
and an administration been confronted with, so -
many difficult and knotty problems. The ship.
of state has been steered in such a way as to
prevent foreign entanglements. Neutrality hat
been observed and our foreign trade-in terfered t
with as little as possible during the' greatest war "
of history.
"We also wish to endorse and commend the
very able administration of the department of
state by Secretary Bryan for the distinguished
serviced rendered the president in handling the
affairs of state during this trying period in the '
history of our government."
Reactionaries and conservatives complain hiU
terly, when they are not in the control of gat-
crnment, that too little attention is being paid
to the fundamental principles of the republican
form of government. The moment, however,
that the progreseivee complete any legislative
program or take a Httlo rest before moving oa
ward, the reactionaries at once begin to work on
a new alliance of business and politics and seek,
to make tkeKtelvee believe that the good old
times in politics are about to return.' They have
queer, ideas of what are fondaaieaUi principle
in government.
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