Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-06-23
Mistellaueuns &eaaiug.
THE WHISKY QUESTION.

NO pO!lLlcal UT SOCidl [eVUIuLlou uds eSel
made such rapid progress or extended so wide
ly as the spirit of opposition to the manufac
ture and sale of ardent spirits. 1t is con-
fined to no race or color, to no class or condi.
ton, to no State or nation, but finds support
and fourishes wherever liquor is known and
sold. 1t is not a new idea or movement but
it certainly has acquired new vitality and
form, being confined no longer to churches
and temperance societies, to religious Journals
and tracts. The secular press, the pulpit and
the courts of justice unite in promoting the
cause of temperance and in advocating the
suppression of the liquor traffic. Its evils are
admitted to be legion, and they are portrayed
by legions of pens and tongues. The muir.
ders, suicides and crimes of all kinds tracea.
BILE to its baneful influence, the domestic mis-
cry it engenders, the paupers and lunatics ii
creates, the social and moral degradation ii
leads to and the irreligion it fosters, are all
daily placed before the public in multiform
colors. Its evils have grown so great as
to enlist against it not only the moral and
religious class of the. country, but large
retinue Of its users and abusers. Petitions
asking legislation to prohibit its sale and
manufacture are circulated and signed largely
by drinking men, and the female portion Of
the country is not only unit against it, but
are active workers in the cause of prohibition
The Legislature of Arkansas has recently
passed, by large majority, a bill to submit
the question of prohibition to vote of the
people. A similar Act has passed the Legis
lature of North Carolina, and the question
is now before the people of t''at State. In
Kansas the Maine law is in force, and in all
the other States strong contest is going on
and there is growing unity of opinion in
favor of prohibition, manifesting itself in pub
lie meetings, in the election of dry tickets in
towns, in more strictly enforcing the law
against its sale on Sunday in cities, and in the
advocacy of local option laws for counties.
The movement is apparently unaccounta
BILE, not only in the progress it has made and
the wide extent of territory it covers, but
also in the fact that liquor drinkers are in
many cases among its strongest advocates
and supporters, while in some instances tenn
perance men and even preachers oppose it
This is reversing the natural course of things
and it is unaccountable to see an in6del like
Ingersoll denouncing liquor in the strongest
terms language can use, while not few doc
tors of divinity advocate selfcontrol as the
only true and legitimate remedy, admitting
they like wee drop occasionally.
The temperance boom now going on is the
strongest evidence of the evils of intemper
ance, and the marshalling of Incorporate
men in the army of prohibitionists is the
strongest evidence that they feel they need
legal protection from temptation. If its evils
were confined to individual cases Of personal
want and wretchedness, however common and
widespread, or to crimes engendered, or to the
social degradation of individuals, it might
we'll be said the government has nothing tc
do with the creation or prevention of these
evils, or if it affected the general wealth and
prosperity of the country only by its injury
to individuals, who squander their time, money
and muscle by its use, still should the govern
ment interfere ? These, however, are but the
visible signs Of disease or poison, affecting
the social, moral and political life of tht
country. They are the knots on the tree, in
dicating decay and rottenness of the body
They are the pimples and sores by which We
diagnose a system affected with filthy anC
fatal disease.
Admitted to be hereditary, passing from
father to son, and increasing with each gene
ration in power and extent. its continuance
betokens religious and political destruction
1t is folly then to hold up the ghost Of Rad
icalism and Radical government against thl
ant-lieuor movement, for there is more dan
ger in the continued increasing use of liquo
to good government than in any party. In
temperance strikes at the foundation of socie
ty and good government, uprooting mora!lt
and tending constantly from bad to worse
In its increase there is no hope of improve
ment in material, moral or intellectual growth
The future, with drunkenness constantly in
creasing is altogether dark and hopeles:
With the prevalence of temperance hope vii
brighten the darkest prospect and despondeI
cy will yield to certain success.
The question is not whether King Alcohc
or King Radicalsm shall rule, but whethe
virtue and intelligence, the pillars of reput
lican government. shall rule or be destroyed
In such var political parties sink into lnslle
nifcance and large proportion OF men VIII
sell and drink liquor now because it is lega
t lied, will not only vote for whatever the
think most likely to promote the public goot
but will abide by whatever decision is rende
ed at the polls. We believe that if probib