Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-02-14
Prohibition.

EDITORS DEMOCRAT: - Thanking
you fer favoTs past, / desire you to
allow me little space In this issue of
your paper, 10 answer the article that
appeared in your issue of two weeks
ego written by some Dodgeville gen
tleman: Before beginning, let me in
form him that the question before us
Is, whether 1t would be right for a
temporal government to prohibit the
manufacture and sale Of all liquors
that will int0xicate, or not. Now, see
ing that we consider the primary end
of gOAernment purely temporal end
the protecting Of the persons and
the property of men-we think that
government, like every other contri-
vance of human wisdom, from the
highest 10 the lowest, Is likely to ans
wer its main end best when 1t is con-
structed with a single view to that
end. II we, the people, have a Sena-
Tor 10 choose, perpaps on one side Will
he the ablest statesman in the country
"a man without blame, a modeland 4
temperate man, who believes In the
use and not the abuse Of tho good
things of this world, while at the same
time he comedies the same right 10
his fellOW-man, - Oh the other side
would be an able and eloquent
preacher-the best In the country I'm
his line. Now, would it not be not
only not right, but u serious loss To
society, to remove such u man AZ This
from u place that mono other but he
could iii among the people, to a place
where he would not only be n dis
honor to himself. but a discredit to
the people whom he would represent.
l say with the best reasoners and
thinkers of the past and present. let
statesmen take care of the govern.
ment, making morals "A secondary CON
sideration, and not run, lin this boast
ing nineteenth century, into the
extremes OF such governments rs
was Philips the second OF Spain,
who made the secondary end of
government the primary end, the
reby making his reign a terror to
all well-wishers OF society ut large.
as well as warning to coming
generations. In this free country OF
ours, lot as have such laws only that
will admit Of us choosing from among
ourselves such statesmenas will
benefit our country, ourselves and
our property most, and not pass
such laws that will restrict us
from choosing the ilttest, just be.
cause he Is not Methodist, Il Catholic
or Il prohibitionist. And the most
absurd and pernicious consequences
would follow II government should
pursue, ~ Its primary end, that which
can never be more than its secondary
end; even though II be admitted that
the secondary end be intrinsically OF
more Importance than the primary.
But, a. we said In one Of our previous
articles, tho question IL NOS whether
to temporal interests. but whether
the machinery which happens ut any
moment to be employed FOR the pro-
lection II certain temporal interests
OF society, he necessarily such ma
chinery rs is fitted to promote the
moral interests of society" We Say
that government is not an institution
for the propagation of total abstinence
any more than hospital for the sick
Is MI institution for the propagation
OF religion. But government which
considers the instruction Of her people
In the ways OF temperance, or even
total abstinence rs u secondary end,
will. We think, be likely TO do much
good and little harm.
In the snme manner, II a govern |
ment can, without any sacrifice to It's |
main end, promote any other good
end, 1t ought to do 10. Tho encourage
m0nt OF the line arts. for axamplo, is
by no means the main sad Of govern |
ment; and 1t would be absurd, In CON
stituting II government. to bestow a |
thought on the question, wheather II |
would be y government likely to- train |
RAphaels. But II by no means follows
that 1t IL improper for 4 government |
to form u national gallery Of pictures,
the same may be said Of patronage
bestowed on learned men-of the pub |
lication OF Archives, Of tho collecting
OF libraries. penageries, pla nts, fossils, |
antiques OF Journeys and voyages for |
purposes Of geographical discoveries |
or astronomical observation. 1t is
not for these ends that government Is
But IL may we'll happen
that . government may have ut its |
command resources which will enable |
1t, without any injury to its main end,
to serve those collateral ends FAR more |
then any individual or any
voluntary association could do IL NO,
government ought to serve these col |
lateral ends.
With these facts for statesmen, |
scholars. thinkers, and all well-wishers |
of human progress and happiness to |
over, IL 1t \ matter Of as
that the prohibition policy |
is not deemed the right method Of |
dealing with the liquor traffic. G.B.