The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-10-25

uF EeehllE 70 it1tA ADtH - -'L Na"A -TN'
bers Of TIE Church and State.
Joy q doing sood : oar..
Joy Of planting fruits and flower
Where the thoTus Of eTl grow
3. Good Templarism aims at securing by
prOper legislation the ultimate suppression OF the
LIQUOR traffic. On this point L will quote from
e. The Manual Of Good Templarism where on
page 6 we find this statement, "As the use OF al
cohol in any form or degree as 4 beverage is dan
gerous and ruinous, we oppose any system or
scheme by which the State is TO give legal sane
ton 10 the traffic, and as it has or should have no
status in morals, 50 we would allow 1t none III
law. Believing 1t 70 be a poison slow and allur-
ing, but sure,-a foe insidious and invinclbie, we
do not believe the sale of it can be regulated or
restrained by laws however wholesome The
Good Templars are not only IN favor OF q PermIs-
sive Bill, but they go further, they strike at the
root OF the tree with the axe OF entire prohibition.
In the manufacture, sale and use Of strong drink,
We see an enormous and undisputed evil, reign
ing with a power and sway more fatally ~destruct-
i've than war, and slavery, and pestilence, and
famine combined an evil this, which Is more
widely spread, more incessanJ, and more endur-
ing than any Of those lust mentioned. The CHIEF
causes of the continued prevalence, nay more, OF
the increasing prevalence of this drink traffic, ap-
pear 10 be these 50 /. The direct pecuniarysin-
terest which some Of the wealthiest and most
influential members Of the community have IN Its
retention. p. The opulent firms and companies
with their colossal fortunes engaged in the man
ufacture itself, and also the legion OF inferior
agents employed in the sale and supply Of the IN
toxicating material, So much more numerous than
any other class of retailers, as 70 Outnumber IN
every city and town the s%uppliers OF wholesome
food. 3. The privilege of licensing houses for
the sale Of such intoxicating drinks, Is also, I'M
fortunately, IN the hands OF two powerful parties
who have a direct pecuniary interest in increas-
ing rather than diminishing their numbers, and
Of charging rather than contracting the extent OF
their sales, namely, the Customs Office as a
branch of the Government for the sake OF the in
creased revenue arising from the increased sale of
wines and spirits, and the magistrates who in
many instances are largely interested in the prop
erty of houses licensed by themselves This is
indeed, a formidable phalanx TO oppose, but, with
truth and reason for our weapons, a conscious
ness OF right for our armor, and discretion and
perseverance in the direction of the conflict, even
these apparently Invincible forces may be over
come. ln seeking to restrict and ultimately sup
press the present liquor traffic, We wish TO injure
no one, but to promote the temporal and eternal
well-being of the human race. We are aware
that a cry is raised against US, and We are
charged with attempting TO interfere with the
rights Of property and the freedom OF British
subjects. But in answer 70 this we say, it is an
admitted principle that the legislature may step
in to protect a man against himself under certain
circumstances, and it is a we'll known fact that
many of those who indulge in intoxicating drinks
give way % a tCeufHtSS, WHICH III tuelI SODcF ulO-
ments they deplore, and that they would be
gladly protected against a temptation, which I'M
assisted, they have not power to resist. But it is
not merely TO the inebriates themselves that our
attention and efforts arctic be directed, we have
also to look at the misery and degradation which
fall upon the families of these unfortunate men
and women, we have to look at the influence
which is exercised by them, the evil example set
TO others, the crime produced, the misery inflicted,
and the additional taxation necessitated. Now
that the legislature has a right, nay is called
upon. to protect wives, and families, and society,
against the evils naturally and necessarily con-
nected with the drink traffic, there can be no
doubt. Against the rights of the drinking COM
munity, we plead the rights of society, and so
far as vested interests are concerned, we say that
vested interests which involve the production of
poverty, crime, disease, and death, are essentially
opposed to the spirit of the English Constitution,
and the laws OF all properly regulated States.
Society has vested interests far exceeding those of
the traffickers in strong drink. The rights of in
dividuals, specially those of wives and children
have been trampled under foot by the liquor traf-
fc, and no individual rights of a comparative few
(though they be rich and powerfully ought to be
allowed to counterbalance the rights of the ma
jOrity in any state or country. 1.-The very found
alto 'Of the Constitution Of England is based on
the doctrine that the public veal Is the supreme
law, the greatest good of the greatest number is
the avowed object of the Government, Constitu-
ton, and Laws of the Realm Believing then
that the use of alcoholic drinks as beverages in
ficts an amount of injury to life, health, prop
erty, morals, and religion which words and fig
ures fail to represent, the Good Templars aim at
nothing less than the complete destruction of this
accursed system, and in order to this, they intend
to use no other means but those which are in ac-
cordance with the moral responsibility Of the in
diVldual, and the teachings of the Bible on the
social relations of men-in other words we are
united In order to secure a legislation in confor-
rnrtv with tho rInh&z n m11T and tho 7 us nF Cod
HI proposed in the last place to notice the
means used by the Good Templars in accomplish
ing the objects which have been brought before
you. 1t has already been stated that this Order
is not q Benefit Society, and it is almost impossi-
Die for any one who is influenced by merely selfish
motives to become a member of it. For a person
TO become a Good Templar, he must combine in
himself - the conscience of q Christian, and the
chivalry of d soldier We are engaged in a
warfare, a crusade against strong drink, and to
the weapons we employ l now direct attention.
Moral suasion may be regarded as our chief means
of extending the influence and utility of Templa-
rism. We endeavor to make our principles known
far and wide by the publication Of our periodicals,
the dissemination of our literature, and the per-
sonal advocacy of our views by members In their
private or public life. Thus we seek to lead men
intelligently and heartily to unite with us in our
crusade against intemperance. In endeavoring
to rescue the victims OF strong drink, we regard
the private advocacy Of our principles as the most
efficient means. in most cases, of dealing with
those thus unfortunate, for in many of them there
is a feeling of shame and a sense of weakness,
which keeps them from attending those places
where they might be brought under temperance
influence in other forms. These are the MANNED,
the halt, the blind of modern society, and need
kindly help such as can be best afforded by visit
ing them in their homes, and calmly reasoning
with them. On the other hand. we consider the
platform, the pulpit, and the press, as best adapted
to influence those who are temperate to become
pledged abstainers, and the same means are also
most potent in affecting public opinion on the
liquor traffic.
1 will now briefly sketch our mode of dealing
with those whom we have led to adopt our prin-
ciples. In admitting an individual. WhateYer his