The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-07
IOWA LEGAL SUASION.

great political parties having made their
nominations, and taken issue on the great
and little political questions of the day
wisely or urwisely, ignored all attempts TO
make men better and holicr by the mere
force of law, and so the temperance men
have come TO the front and resolved: THAT
" the temperance people OfIowa are forced
" to seek the promotion of their cause in
" such way as will be most effective
" without regard to parties that the laws
" of this state relating to the dissertation of
" the Sabbath should be rgidly enforced
" that there should be no division of the
"s school fund for sectarian purposes; that
political organizations should not control
men in their action on moral questions,
ana that county organizations be formed
to elect temperance men to the legisla-
"ture." Nothing very bad about this reso-
luton, if only common sense interpreta-
ton is-given to the first clause thereof. 1t
ought to be generally understood, by this
time, that the promotion of the tempt r.
'N'SS Sauoe, - ~ 10 w W SiCItiNC, VIII aNC
TO be sought somewhere outside of politics
and this, too, whether the prohibitory
policy is right or wrong. The republican
party has repeatedly expressed itself on
the temperance question and has always
lost by it. They allied themselves with the
prohbitory party in Massachusetts and
Ohio, year ago, and lost the states. They
have tried the "policy of silence" and, by
doing so, have come out the little end of
the horn. Whether they have been for or
against temperance, as party they have
gained nothing by their course, but they
rather lost by it; while the democracy, by
Ignoring the whole matter, have had the
gain-and in every instance the cause OF
temperance has not been promoted. Both
parties now propose to ignore the question,
and the temperance men have wisely con-
cluded that they must look outside of po-
litical parties.
1t would not be bad idea il the temper
ance men of Iowa could succeed on their
platform just once, if they only had the
moral courage to enjoy the whole fruits of
II victory gained on such platform. They
could make, for at least one year, perfect
Utopia of Iowa. What blessed year it
would be, if not a drop OF fermented or
slistilled liquor, ale, beer or cider could be
bought, sold or drank in state. What an
opportunity for all men TO exhilaratc them
selves on pure Adams ale, and solve the
question of our contemporary as to the lati-
tude to be allowed in the use of intoxi-
cants rs stimuiant or medicine! What a
field for inventive genus to discover Tie
substitute for alcohol in the chemical and
mechanical arts Think what possibilities
for the future would be held out, when a
single election should convert every topper
in the state, shut up every whisky dstil-
lery and rum-shop, rid the community of
every dishonest internal revenue officer,
and make every one sober. industrious,
honest-for this is what temperance is adj
vertised to do, and we have no doubt that
it would succeed. Let them have at least
one fair trial.
Then they are pledged to a rigid enforce
ment of the Sunday laws. We might perhaps
have little more doubt as to the wisdom
of this, but we would be willing to give
them fair trial. If every man, woman
and child would be strictly, tetotally tenn
pcrate, we can see where the whole CON-
munity would reap an Unreasonable bene-
fit, where every one could and would be
happier, but we should prefer to see these
Sunday laws have fair trial before ex-
pressing an opinion thereon. 1t might be
very delightful state Of affairs, and very
remuneratvo to the treasury, to fine every
person who should travel on Sunday, or
who should on that day, engage in secular
employment indulge in recreation or
amusement, visit from house TO house, or
resort to a place of entertainment except
for visits of charity or for "moral or
religious edification," but we doubt
whether it would fill our churches or
make men better. 1t might be
profitable to fine printers for working Sun
day, or hotel keepers for providing meals
for transient guests, but would 1t advance
the cause of religion or be conducive to the
bringing about of the millennium We
would be almost willing to let the temper
ance men of Iowa or Vermont, If they had
the moral courage to carry out the pro-
gramme, try their hand at guiding public
affairs, regulating morals and religion, and