TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14000, 5 September 1907, Page 2

TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

TOTAL ABSTINENCE AMONG THE CATHOLICS. Ono of tho most encouraging features of the modem tomperance reform ie tho stand taken by so many Catholio bishops, priests, and laymen on the subject of total abstinenco from strong drink. Ono of the most - practical and powerful arraignments of tho saloon we lmvo noticed for a. long time is that of Father MThail, of tho Roman Catholio Ghurch of St. Thomas, Canada. Tho. Journal, a local paper, gives tho following c.vtract of the minister's f.ddrcss: — 1 "In his experience as a miesionary father ho had come to the sad conclusion that most- of the sin and vice with which it had been his duty_ to battle, arose from tho curse' of intoxicating drink. Thi6 awful blight on the manhood of, Canada was prevalent everywhere, and 'lio w~as sorry to say nowhere did it thrive more than in St. Thomas. 'Something must bo done' to check its ravages. Wherever ho found tho people becoming careless about their religious, social, and domesiio obligations, , thero lie found tho horrible and degrading curse of drink making headway. " liitoinperanco is the iwront of almost ovcry other vice. ' Will you,' ho demanded of tho older men, ' tolcrato this evil in your midst? Is thero r.o law to check? Will you stand by in apathy and see facilities provided by which your bright boys may be lured to spiritual and physical ruin, their intellects benumbed, their morals corrupted; habife of blasphemy • formed, and their .wages filched away? Tho responsibility is yours. You cannot shirk it. You must act, and act quickly, or their ruin will bo yours, for God will exact from you an accounting at the last great assize, "' A word to you young married mon. Your wives and families have a right to the benefit of your earnings; a right to bo shielded from disgrace; a,right to your, good example and guidanco as head of the family; a right to tho protection of their and your' good reputation; a right to your society in the family circle. How many a loving, trusting, happy bride awakens only too soon to tho dread realisation that sho has ma.rriod a drunkard, or ono who bids fair to become such? How her heart sinks and her soul 6hrivels at tho awful discovery! Do not piny with fire. Do not touch tho intoxicating eup. You do not need it. Tho highest medical authorities declare it is worso than useless for health, and should be avoided.

"'Oh, you young. boys, do you flatter yourselves that you can indulge with impunity? Other vices always accompany the habit of. tippling, _ such as impurity, gambling, idleness, disobedience to authority, neglcct of public and private worship of God, squandering of hard-earned money, shattering of health, and frequently oven suicide. It is no. merit to a man to stop drinking because ho cannot obtain drink, but great is tho reward for the man who in tho wholesalo existence of liquor ab6tains from its uso for his soul' 6 sake and for the glory of God.'" Under tho spell of this man's eloquence 300 men in tho congregation aroso and signod tho total abstinence pledge. DEMOCRATIC HOPES AND TBfE DRINK FACTOR. "With a feeling ■ of pardonablo prido democracy has enacted groat- forces and sat them in motion. Tho Labour party, the trade union, friendly society, and co-opera-tion movements each bear testimony of their capacity, penetration, nnd sclfsacrificc. Each has contributed to tho uplifting of the wage-earners. How often, however, has tho effort of cach been crippled because of the pi-osenco of a forco in their midst, often striking paralysis into { heir ranks, and bringing inevitable defeat in its train. Tho stern lossons which such experiences teach havo not been lost upon us. We arc learning that if we could free our fellows from the power for evil which intemperance contains wo would then become tho omnipotent power—so .essential to the freeing of our lives frorii monopolies, which create for us other soeinl injustices. Then would social progress be sure, efficient, and continuous. For then no power would be sufficient to resist tile onward march of a sober democracy to political, social, and economic freedom.

All who consider snoh a position worth striving- for, who caro for the personal : happiness and industrial efficicncy, the 1 social betterment ot the common people, should still further assist in freeing them from nnv connection with the destructive i power of drinkdom.—From Sunday Strand, ! by A. Henderson, MP. • | TBETOTALTSM IN GERMANY; EN- ' COURAGING WORKMEN. The German periodical, Sozialo Praxis, announces that the director of the Rocli- . ligen Ironworks have issued the following ; notice to their workpeople The directors have gained the conviction that those : workpeople who take no alcohol are more I valuable than others to their employers, ! and they have therefore dccided to pay I lie following premiums to workmen who have been members of the Gcod Templar Society for more than a year: Those yvho have been members for one year will receive 10s a. quarter; those who have been members for two years will receivo 15s per quarter; and the premium will bo increased by 5s a quarter for ovi>ry additional year of membership of the society."— Alliance News. MUNICIPAL POSTERS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD. An important ruling has been made by tho Local Government Board in the case ' of some surcharges in the expenses of tho Southwark Borough Council with rcjard to the payment of moneys for the printing and circulation of_ posters pointing out the physical deterioration caused by the consumption of alcoholic drinks. - For this purpose the council used £10 6s of the rates, but the auditor surcharged them for it. An appeal was made to tho Local Government Board, with the result that that body sanctioned the outlay, j Furthermore, it sanctioned an expenditure of £10 5s 2d in connection with the printing and: circulation of literature "iving hints to mothers as to the proper caro and feeding of infants. This item had also been disallowed by the auditor.—Alliance ■ News.