The prohibitionists of New England find it difficult to understand why Georgia, with the immense quota of ignorance in its voting population, has been able to abolish legal rum-drinking, a thing which has not yet been found possible—notwithstanding the supposed reign of a more widely diffused intelligence—in the greater part of New England. An explanation of the fact is to be found in the homogeneity of the Georgian population, due to the vast preponderance of native born elements (there being only ten thousand five hundred persons of foreign birth in 1880), and to the popular condition affecting public sentiment in Georgia and her sister States. Among these influences may be noted that of the clergy, who reach the greater part of the population, white and black, through the churches in whose membership it is enrolled; the fact that, owing to the comparative non-use of wines and beers, the question is simply that of rum or no rum; and the added circumstance that the evils of intemperance are there greatly aggravated by the character of the whiskey almost universally used, it being an unrectified form of the article, and accompanied by the most dangerous and destructive results to individuals and to society. Among these results may be mentioned the often repeated instances of lawlessness and bloodshed, and the growing demoralization of the colored workingmen, which reacts injuriously upon every industry.
Against conditions like these, there can be found in almost any community in the land, in the aggregate, an opposing majority. In New England this majority is largely powerless, because swallowed up in the opposing votes of political parties. In Georgia it has succeeded, because it has separated the liquor question from all other political considerations and made it a separate issue, upon which men vote neither as Democrats nor Republicans, but as well meaning, and ably directed men, who are marshalled against a great social evil.
New England temperance advocates have difficulties to contend with, growing out of the foreign born elements in our midst, which do not exist at the South; but it may be well for them to consider the question of adopting the Georgian method of sticking to the temperance issue as a distinct question, instead of dragging it into general politics, where the temperance element loses in strength by a division upon other questions.
We find in the Pall Mall Gazette suggestions intended for the eyes of English matrons, but which may be equally commended to the attention of American mothers, relating to the establishment of "housekeeping schools" after the pattern of those in Germany.
Every girl in Germany, be she the daughter of nobleman, officer, or small official, goes, as soon as she has finished her school education, into one of these training establishments. The rich go where they pay highly. They are never taken for less than a year, and every month has its appropriate work: Preserving of fruits and vegetables, laying down meats, the care of eggs and butter, the preservation of woollen clothes, repairing of household linen, etc. Besides these general branches of housewifery, they are taught cooking, clear starching, the washing of dishes, the care of silver and glass, dusting and sweeping, laying of a table and serving—in brief, all the duties which will fall to their own lot or to the servants whom they employ. As a result, the ménage of a German matron is perfection, according to German ideas.
A good illustration of the historical spirit, which happily has come to stay in our midst, is seen in the instructive and entertaining articles which have recently been published in the newspapers concerning some old New England homesteads. Among these is one in the Boston Courier of Oct. 4, 1885, telling of the Pickering house in Salem, built in 1659, and still in the Pickering name, and also of the Porter place in Wenham, which, although it had been in the Porter name without alienation since 1702, was of much older date. In the Boston Transcript of Nov. 28, 1885, was also an interesting account of the old Curtis house at Jamaica Plain, which was finished in 1639. Its builder, William Curtis, was its first occupant; and from that time to 1883 none but his descendants occupied the house. A number of ancient dwellings still standing in New England were referred to in the same article.
Such public notices of time-honored landmarks are to be commended, not only because they serve as historical links, but because they develop that historical imagination which enables one to clothe with a tender reverence places so rich in interest.