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The Commoner
7
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C
T
emperanee
'Abstract of speech deilvered by Mr. Bryan
at -.Atlantic City, N. J., May 26, 1911, at .the
general assembly of the Presbyterian church, the
temperance committed being In charge of the
program:
I am, speaking to an audience of Christians
and shall discuss this question from the stand
point of a Christian. I shall begin with the as
sumption that all Christians accept Christ's
measure of greatness, viz: That greatness is
measured by service, and are anxious to render
as large a service as possible.
The Christian can justify total abstinence on
several grounds, or to make it stronger, I may
say that several considerations compel total
abstinence on the part of the Christian.
First-r-Drinking is injurious to the body, to
the mind and to the morals. It may not be pos
sible to prove the injurious effect of a single
drop or a small quantity of alcoholic liquor, but
there is sufficient scentlfic evidence to leave no
reason for doubt that even so-called moderate
drinking reduces the power of the body to resist
disease, impairs the strength of the mind, and
weakens the moral element in man. The Chris
tian can not afford to, tender a physical wreck as
his contribution to the Master's service; he
can not afford to offer less than the maximum
of physical energy, mental activity and moral
health.
Second The Christian can not afford to spend
on liquor money that is so badly needed for
other and better things. I do not speak now
of the diversion of money actually needed by
the family, although that sum fs enormous and
measur.es domestic injustice that figures can not
estimate. I speak rather of that occasional -expenditure
of money for liquor which, some at
tempt, to excuse on the, ground that it can be
spared. Who. can consider the vast amount of
ignorance. Jin the world that money can lessen
;the vast amount of suffering, that money can
relieve and then insist that a Christian can
with, proprIety,4nveat any sum however .small,
in intoxicating liquor? If man is to render an
account of his stewardship-' in what language
will he frame a report covering money spent
for liquor when he stands before the bar. of
judgment, and is confronted by those whose
lives might have been made brighter, better and
happier by the expenditure upon them of money
squandered on wine, beer, and whisky?
Third The Christian can not afford to take
the risk of acquiring the habit of drinking.
Even a small degree of intelligence is sufficient
to enable one to understand that it is unwise
to incur any danger where no advantage is to
be gained to offset the danger. The appetite
for drink grows with indulgence and the number
of those who are overcome by It is so great
that one must be strangely indifferent to his
own welfare who takes the chances of falling
beneath the power of that appetite. From the
beginning of history alcohol has been slaying
Its multitudes; we see its horrible work about
us" everywhere and at all times. Every drunk
ard is a warning how can this warning be lost
on anyone, especially upon a Christian who
recognizes responsibility to the Creator.
Fourth The Christian can not afford to set
an example that will be hurtful to those weaker
than himself. If he were sure that he could
spare money for -liquor, sure that no more
worthy cause needed it; if he were sure he could
drink without diminution of his own strength
and without danger of becoming a slave to the
thirst which drink arouses, still he could not
justify the use of liquor because the Christian
is responsible for his example as well aa for
wrongs done In other ways. The great apostle
declared that If eating meat made his brother
to offend he would eat no meat. Why this dec
laration? Because his love of brother was
stronger than his desire for meat. The Chris
tian should so- deeply feel his obligation to this
brother and love him so devotedly as to be
willing to make for his brother's sake whatever
sacrifice total abstinence required. If the Chris
tian drinks but little it will be but little sacri
fice to quit entirely; if he drinks enough to
make total abstinence a real sacrifice he should
stop on his own account and on his famly's
account as well as for his brother's sake.
If one makes up his mind to abstain from the
use of Intoxicating liquor there is no reason
"why he should hesitate to sign the pledge.
There is every reason why he should openly
takb'hi'a stand with those who touch not; tasio
not, and handle not. .
- There Is no humiliation about signing a
pledge. Wo do not hesftato to sign other
pledges and take upon ourselves other vows. It
is no reflection upon our voracity that wo are
requested to take an oath when wo go upon the
witness stand; it raises no suspicion as to their
good faith when pnTtiei uniting in marriago
exchange vows in public; a man's honesty is not
impugned when he is asked to reduce a financial
obligation in writing, en tho contrary, It would
excite suspicion if one refused to make a noto
when he acknowledges a dobt. A pledge helps
tho person who signs It and it helps thoso who
know of it. A man Is tho stronger when ho
feels that he can not with honor accept an invi
tation to drink, and ho Is not so apt to be in
vited. Tho signing of the pledge marks one's
entry Into tho company of teetotalers. There
is no other visiblo sign of separation from thoso
who drink. I began signing pledges before I
can remember and have Improved every oppor
tunity I have had to sign since. I believe that
wo ought to have a pledge book in every church
and in every Sabbath school and encourage the
signing of the pledge by every man, woman and
child.
I have spoken thus far upon the Individual's
connection with tho liquor traffic; this Is funda
mental and admits of less dispute than questions
of legislation. Whatever may be said in regard
to the effect of laws intended to restrain the use
of liquor no ono will deny that total abstinence
lessens to the extent that it is practiced the
evils of Intemperance.
But the Christian must act in conjunction
with others as well as by himself. As a citizen
he is jointly responsible with his neighbors for
legislation on all subjects and he can not lay
aside the obligations of his roliglon when ho
goes to. the polls. A Christianity that does not
make a man a better citizen would be difficult to
defend. I shall not attempt to lay down rules
to cover every legislative phase of tho liquor
question, but I Tonture to suggest a principle
that is universal in its application and that
can not be ignored at any "time, in any place "or
under any circumstance, viz: That the liquor
question is moral question 'which iriust bo
dealt witL as a question of conscience an,d ndt
as a question of profit. Whatever decision ono. .
reaches as to the position he should take on
any legislative phase of the liquor question ho
must be able to defend it before the bar of
conscience. No advantage that he can secure
in business, no money that he can directly or
indirectly make out of his decision, and no ad
vantage that he can win for his party can be
allowed to weigh in the balance. "What shall
it profit a man it he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul."
I shall suggest a few things for your con-,
slderation in the way of legislation. I do not
go as far as those do who assert that it is
morally wrong to license the sale of liquor at
any time or under any circumstances. I would
deal with the conditions to be met and adopt
such measures as In my judgment would most
effectively decrease the evils of intemperance
and most rapidly establish total abstinence.
Any unit, however small or large, should be
permitted to rid itself of the saloon or placo
restrictions upon the sale of liquor within the
unit, the larger unit controlling the smaller
whenever its influence for evil can no more be
confined to the building in which it is conducted
than can the odors of a slaughter house be con
fined to the block in which It Is located.
Treating should not be permitted at any time
or under any circumstances. The doctrine of
personal liberty can not on any just ground
stretch to cover the right to either give or sell
liquor to another. That is a question with
which tho community has an undoubted right
to deal, And I may add that the doctrine of
personal liberay can not be invoked In behalf of
the Individual use of liquor to the extent of
making him an injury to others or destroying
his ability to meet his obligations to family and
society.
Legislation can also lessen the evils of in
temperance by prohibiting the advertisement
of liquors, especially when those advertisements
are used to subsidize the press.
We need federal legislation to secure to the
states the right to deal fully and freely with
the liquor question.
The federal government has driven liquor
from the senate and. the house. Why not put
tho government on the side of total abstinence
by excluding its use from diplomatic functions.
When I visited South America a year ago last
winter I was surprised at the cost of the diplo-
)(')'&' W $ 3fc!
' rr : ;. . J !
; ANOTHER TARIFF FRAUD 5''
' ' jl
Associated Press report: "Washing-
ton, Juno 19. Frauds amounting to ,
sovoral millions of dollars in duty on
importations of cutlery during tho last '
fow years havo boon discovered by necrot
agents of the customs oorvlco, who, under
tho direction of Chiof Wllkio, liavo been
working .quietly In this country and in
tho Follngen district of Germany, whence
most of tho Imports camo to tho United
States.
0 "Secretary of tho Treasury McVeagh
started tho Investigation sovoral months
ago, but as it Is not completed, it was not
said what action might bo takon to re-
cover tho duties Neither is it known
whethor there will bo prosecutions, '
"Custom's authorities say the peculiar
construction of the cutlery schedule of
tho tariff has given an opportunity for
immense frauds on comparatively small
valuations. A seizure of cutlery made In
New York on Saturday illustrates that
fact. Although bn 43 cases Of cutlery
entered as having a valuation of $10,-
243, an undor-valuatlori of only $808 was
found, yet, on that occasion seizure tho
government had been dofraudod of
$3,397 in duties. The duty on cutlery
is very high."
.
matic branch of tho service of tho South Ameri
can republics. It costs them quite a sum to
meet present diplomatic requirements. A con
siderable part of the diplomatic exponse goes
for entertainment and tho cost of wine Is a
largo factor in tho cost of entertaining. The
smallor countries might nesltato to cut out wfne '
lest it might suggest poverty, but tho great
Christian nations could abandon tho use of
wine at diplomatic functions without raising any
question as to their motives. Why should our
nation. not set the 'example? Why should it not.
lead the way by throwing the weight of its
influenco against thc'use of Intoxicating- liquor?
Our diplomacy 'is opon and honest; we do not
have to make people drink In order to deal
with them. Our nation fs In a position to raako
the start. Why not do it?
A WARNING TO PRIVILEGE
Governor Woodrow Wilson, in the WorlU's
Work: " It Is time that wo served
notice on the men who havo grown up In tho
possession of privileges and bounties, that the1
existing order of things is to bo changed. It Is
only fair that wo warn them, for they should
have time to adjust themselves to the change;
but the change must' come, nevertheless, And
this change is not a revolution, let it be under
stood at once. It is merely a restoration.
That is what the people of New Jersey
have meant as they havo flocked out, rain or
shine, not to follow tho democratic party we
have stopped thinking about parties to follow
what they now know aa the democratic idea, tho
Idea that tho people are at last to bo served.
" "Do you know what the American people are
waiting for, gentlemen? They are waitjng to
have their politics utterly simplified. They are
realizing that our politics are full of secret con
ferences, that there are private arrangements,
and they do not understand It. They want to
concentrate their force somewhere. They are
like an unorganized army saying the thing is
wrong. Where shall we congregate? How shall
we organize? Who are the captains? Where
are the orders? Which is the direction? Where
are the instruments of government? That Is
what they are waiting for.
"It Is an opportunity, and it is a terrible op
portunity. Don't you know that some man with
out conscience, who did not care for the nation,
could put this country Into a flame? Don't you
know that the people of this country from one
end to the other all believe that something is
rong? What an opportunity it would be for
some man -without, conscience, but with power,
to spring up and say: "This is the way; follow
me", and lead them in paths of destruction. How
terrlblo it would be!" ' .
.The house should accept at once the, senati,
amendments to the publicity bill. Unless tae,
house can propose something still broader, the,
democrats can not afford to. allow the republlr
cans to, go beyond them in the matter of pub?
licity. '
fry
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