The Portland daily press., 1881-01-22
PROHIBITION.
A Chunk from Chancellor Crosby, and
Comments thereon by Correspondent.

A Chunk from Chancellor Crosby, and
Comments thereon by a Correspondent.
To the Editor Of the Press:
On Monday, January 10th, at fremont Tenn
pie. Chancellor Crosby of New York deliv-
cred lecture in the celebrated Boston 'Mon-
day course" 1t was the sixth lecture of the
present year. 1t was entitled ga Calm View of
the Temperance Question" and was listened
to by the largest audience of the season. Diff
fering in doctrine, as DR.. Crosby does, from so
many temperance orators, his lecture was
most interesting. Some of his positions and
the arguments by which they were supported
failed to command the assent of large pro-
portion of his audience, and it is probable that
in its published form the lecture will be read
by many persons with equal dissent. But
whether agreeing with its conclusions or not it
would be well if this lecture could be widely
circulated and carefully read. 1t says some
things that it required moral courage to say in
New England. 1t is a brave plea for charity
on the part of ali the temperance workers. In
the course of his lecture DR.. Crosby says
"And here have put the third reason why
l believe the plan of total abstinence will not
be adopted by the people-because of its spirit
of intimidation. OF course this is not inherent
to the cause, but it has been the invariable &C
compartment of it during its forty years cur
riculum. And we now have to deal practical
ly with historic facts and not with mere abb
stract theories Whatever may have been the
cause, whether it be the weakness of the case or
the unfortunate choice of leaders and defend
ers, the total abstinence propaganda has been
an overbearing and tyrannical power. 1t has
used violence OF language that can admit of
no excuse. 1t has condemned every one, how
ever faithful in all moral and religious duties,
who has refused to enter its ranks. 1t has
confounded all ideas of right and wrong, cal
umniously declaring the man who drinks wine
moderately is as bad as, nay, worse than the
drunkard; asserting that all drinks whether
vinous, malt or distilled, are alike poisonous;
vilifying those who teach any other doctrine
by calling them traitors to the truth-Judas
lscariots, betraying the Master-and exercs-
ing where it could a fearful prescription in
driving good men from the pulpits of the
land, because they would not and could not
conscientiously pronounce their Shibboleth.
The principal printed organs Of this propagan-
da have been full of fierce onslaughts upon the
character of respectable men, and the harsh
and cruel judgments spoken of have been car
ried out with the spirit of the Inquisition. The
political world has lately invented word for
this way of settling a disputed question. They
have called it "bulldozing." 1t makes peace
by creating desert 1t produces unanimity
by shutting the mouths of the other side The
world is apt to think that such conduct indi-
Gates cause that cannot be sustained by rea-
son, and the reaction is likely to be Excess
sive."
The truth that Dr. Crosby here touches is
one that needs to be especially emphasized in
the State of Maine. A coterie of professional
auifaforc nd of %o1ro
of the field and hold it. Their methods have
been the methods which Chancellor Crosby de-
seribes. They have been permitted to SWAY
the public opinion and the legislation of this
State by means of moral intimidation They
have almost destroyed the possibility of a can
did discussion of the question in Maine They
have constructed for themselves platform
whereon they have declared all temperance
men must stand or consent to be read out of
the temperance party. They have abused pub
lie men, of blameless character and of exem-
plary private life. because they have dared to
hold their own views of what was right and ex-
pedient in temperance legislation. The prin-
ci7le on which they have fought their temper
ance campaign is a wrong one. 1t is princi-
pie of intolerance. 1t is principle that finds
its characteristic elimination in such a sheet
as the "True Republican" As a humble
member of the temperance party and one who
declines to be read out of its ranks we protest
against this style Of flare. We protest
against it in the name of temperance itself.
We believe that in quarters where these self
appointed reformers least suspect it their in
tolerance and personal abuse have injured the
cause they profess to hold so dear. 1t is pos
sible for an intelligent and sincere temperance
man to doubt whether total abstinence is with
all men moral oblig alton. 1t is possible for
him to doubt the expediency of prohibition.
1t is possible for him Utterly to disbelieve in
the pledge as moral agency. He NAV be
wrong in any or all of those positions, but he
does not thereby become a"rummy' nor an
outcast from respectable society. This spirit
of intimidation has become serious matter.
1t threatens to choke down all independence
of action-all fair and intelligent discussion.
We do not believe the sturdy temperance men
of Maine share this spirit to any such extent
as surface appearances would indicate. And
it is for that reason we speak the more earn
estly. We do not wish to see the temperance
sentiment misrepresented and the temperance
army divided and weakened by the unwisdom
and intolerance of small section of that army
Let the cause of total abstinence and of pro-
hibitory legislation be advanced by all Iegiti
mate and honorable means. But let it be ad-
vocated only by honorable means, and let its
recognize the fact that many sincere
temperance men-total abstainers themselves
cannot sympathize with their doctrine of
total abstinence and prohibition.
1t is difference as to the means of reaching a
certain end and not as to the end ITSELF 1t is
a question of methods and a question upon
which honest men may honestly differ.