The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-06-17
For the Palladium.
Moral 0uasiOn and Law.

moran 1uaotOn and Law.
EDITOR LLADIUM:-We have
just been shown a long article under
the caption of will Prohibition Pro-
hibit?" written ~ l9leH D. the
Cincinnati Commerclal, in which De
argues that morh suasiop and soSial'
influence sie thefreat levers b. which
to remove intemperance and it's at
-tendant eviis from our midst. He
utterly and entirely ignores prohibi-
tory laws, taking the ground that they
sre- not only abortive but wrong in
principle. He says, Liberty is the
best educator; that history shows
'ccnciuxiveiy that the advance Of tenn
perance depends on causes entirely
outside ofalaw, &C." We believe in
moral suasion, but We take issue with
aBeadle. DR.. Arnold expresses con-
siderable truth when he says, Law
and government are the sovereign in.
auences in human society; institu-
tons depend on them, and are by
them formed and modified; what they
sanction will ever be generally consid-
cred innocent; what they condemn is
thereby made crime" hAfteEthirty-
i've years of study and labor in the
c cause oftemperauce we are convinced
8 that for the prevention of the many
grievous evils flowing from the traffic
In and use Of intoxicants, LAW is not
only necessary but is also proper
agent; moral suasion. unaided by law,
never can subdue this fearful evil.
Moral suasion looks upon the evils
produced by public drunkenness as
inflicted by drunkard upon himself;
but this is an incomplete view of the
matter, because the evils fall upon so.
ciety also. The poor rates are not
paid by drink-made paupers, nor the
prison and police rates by drink made
criminals; all the heavy burdens of
drunkenness fall upon the unoffend-
ing and the virtuous classes of society.
Law, perceiving this, says to the
drunkard, "Thou shalt not hurt thy
neighbor," If saloon keepers and
drunkards annually stole the EIGHTY
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS out Of the
pockets of the innocent, which they
have to pay every year in the shape of
poor.rates caused by the traffic in
drink, who would propose moral sua-
sion as the cure? But the robbery is
quite as real though it be Indirectly by
taxation. Public drunkenness has
been declared an offense punishable by
law. If moral suasion be the appro-
pirate remedy for this offense, it will
also be the appropriate remedy for
every other offense and contravcntion,
and therefore, every precautionary
act will have to be repealed. But if
the penalties for offenses and contra
ventions we're repealed, society could
not exist; not being the right method,
it cannot be expected that moral sua-
sion will be the efficient one. Sup
pose small country town is desola-
ted with two saloons, which of these
two plans would be the best? LIST, To
employ missionaries to convince the
villagers of the danger to themselves
and others of drinking in saloons? or
I'd, To shut the saloons at once by
law? By this last plan, instant secur
ity from the evils would be effected.
By the first-that of moral suasion-
there would be constant danger since
the stumbling blocks were not remov-
ed, constant expense, and only very
partial success. So conformable to
reason is this view, that some Of the
most intelligent men have solved the
difficulty by prohibiting saloons from
their domains and territory. Witness
Vineland, New Jersey, founded twelve
years ago by G. X. Lands, now IL, 0OC
inhabitants. BY prohibiting saloons
there is no intemperance. So with
Greeley, Colorado, founded four years
ago; saloons are interdicted, hence nc
intemperance. So with Besslerook
ireland, where there are several thou.
sand inhabitants; the owner, John G
Richardson, prohibits saloons, and as a
result there is no intemperance. Sc
with Saltaire, Yorkshire. Titus Salt
strictly prohibits any saloons being
opened in that town, and thus avoids
intemperance. Now, although this
Introduction is the will Of the owner
yet that will stands in the position Of
prohibitory law to these places.
We despair of the elevation of So
ciety from the thraldom of intemper
! ance until our legislators and the
church comprehend the distinct prov
ince Of moral suasion and law, anc
faithfully apply each to its own pecu
liar work. Moral suasion takes cog
nizance of man in all the private &C
tons of lis life, those which do no
affect others. If man INDUCES il
vice in secret and the consequence
fall upon himself alone, he is fit sub
ject for persuasion; but if the. gratifi
cation be in public, and evil ccnse
! quences fall upon the innocent, h
should be restrained by law; mora
suasion is an aid to the development
of mans capacity for good. Itsays
him, "Be good and do good" Law i
check upon his capacity for evil, ad
dressing him thus: "Injure you n
one, and no one will be allowed to in