The Portland daily press., 1870-11-22

81 rfJhIbBff0n.
noticed iii recent issue of the PRESS, an
editorial upon prohibition. was glad to see
1t, as an Indication that the question is regard
ed by the editor as a legitimate subject of dis
cussion. am quite sure there is none upon
which the people need information more, as
there is none more important to the interests
of society in every department oflife.
know there are many good citizens who
have no sympathy with the liquor traffic, but
are inclined to object 10 prohibition, because
they think the rum trade is beneficial to the
business OF the city, and favorable to its pc.
cuniary interests. They are mistaken in
these views; for that traffic is in deadly hos
tlllty to the material prosperity of the city,
state and nation, as it is to the welfare and
happiness OF the people. To maintain the
contrary, would be to assert that God does not
rule among men, and that the keeping of His
laws is inconsistent with the highest interests
of society.
In relation to trade and financial success
and prosperity, society occupies a position diff
ferent from that of individuals. Society is in
terested in the general diffusion of wealth
among the people at large, and the comfort
and enjoyment that wealth may always bring.
1t is the same thing to society whether A. B.
G. and d. are prosperous in financial matters
as x. Y. and 1.-THE only interest that society
can have in that, arises from the manner in
which these individuals employ their wealth,
and overt tho ipfuonoa hat
business may be exceedingly profitable to in
dividuals engaged in it, and at the same time
prejudicial to the community. In such cases,
the interests of Society and those of 'sthe
trade are hostile to each other; and the
question presents itself at once to every intel
ligent man, whether the general interests of
Society or those Of few members of it shall
be conserved.
A few years ago lottery schemes were char
tered by all the States of the Union, but it
was soon discovered that lotteries were pub
lie evil, and they were abolished. They were
profitable to few interested parties, but
tended to the general Generalization, by in
Producing the spirit Of gambling among the
PSoPASt @hN uA0WAAS ChOm away Hull IIC ACS~
ular pursuits of business. Lotteries created
no wealth, but on the contrary their waste of
wealth was very great, by wasting vast
amount of time which may be made to pro-
duce wealth, and undermining the industrial
habits of the people, which are the foundation
of all wealth. The recent lottery scheme of
the Mercantile Library Association of San
Francisco is notable example of this.
EThe association, with insufficient means,
purchased very valuace plot of land in
principal street and erected upon it splendid
and costly building, involving debt of
quarter of million of dollars. The Legisla-
ture Of California authorized giganic lottery
scheme, to enable the association TO clear off
that debt and to leave it with large surplus
fund. All California was excited about it;
many people invested all their little wealth in
the tickets; many others contracted Ito them
heavy debts to obtain means to buy tickets:-
Servant girls, working people, all classes of
people went mad with excitement; every one
hoping to draw the great prize-$1OOOOO; or
at least $4,000 or $4,000. For time, regu
lar business was almost or quite suspended;
no one had thoughts or words for anything
else but the lottery and the grand prizes
which each hoped to draw. This excitement
was general-almost universal-and intense.
and drew great numbers of the people away
from all regular occupation, unless constant
waiting for the lottery may be called such.
The parties interested in different parts of
this grand scheme made half million dollars
by it, while the Generalization of the people
is said to be melancholy; and it is declared
that the State last many times half a million
dollars, by the time wasted by multitudes of
people, and the feverish excitement produced
among them, uniting them, at least for con-
siderable time for the plodding ways of resu-
lar industry. A business may be exceedingly
profitable to the individuals engaged in it,
enrlching them at a very small outlay of
work, and at the same time be most harmful
to society at large. Il This is pre-eminently the
case with the liquor. traffic, las 1 hope to be
able TO show; tand the prohibition ;of it is
founded on that fact, as the Introduction
OF lottery schemes and gambling houses is