Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-21
PROHIBITION.
The Subject Ably Advocated In Two of
st. Paul's Churches Yesterday.
Fa,laoies IF Antf- Prob,n;,,ouists

The Subject Ably Advocated In Two OF
st. Paul's Churches Yesterday.
Fdllacies IF Antt- t-Pr0hiJitSo,sisfs
The Rev. DR.. Marshall, pastor.o the Jack.
son street Methodist church, delivered an ad.
dress last evening upon the subject of "Prohi
bition and the right OF the people to vote on q
Constitutional amendment" of which the fol.
lowing is brief synopsis.
The Reverend speaker took his text from q
portion of Exodus, c. 20, v 4. "Thou shalt
| not" After brief introduction the learned
divine said:
| &The people of this country are thinking,
speaking and voting, as they never have be.
fore, on the subject OF prohibition. The
whole nation is stirred. The sturdy farmers,
| the hard working mechanics, the toilng day
laborer, the professional men in their offices
merchants at their counters, clergymen in
their pulpits, editors in their sanctums,
teachers at their desks, mothers at their
homes and children in their schools, all are
studying this subject. Towns, counties and
states are wheeling into line for prohibition.
Liquor manufacturers and dealers are alarmed.
Political parties are embarrassed and
don't know what to do. Time.serving politi.
clans, born and Graded in the saloon, are con-
|
escape the threatened indignation Of their
political birthplace, or the righteous retr l.
button of an oppressed people whose avengin e
sword Is already unsheathed and has pierced
the foe in Kansas and Iowa. The people of
Minnesota have caught the inspiration, and
hopes and convictions that have not been
cead but only sleeping are coming to the
front and asserting their right to be heard.
1t affords the speaker great pleasure to lend
his thought and voice in spreading the wave
and in preparing the way
for the oncoming victory, when
Minnesota will stand abreast with Maine,
Kansas and Iowa. | have heard 1t charged
that the pulpits of st. Paul have been silent on
this great question. I hope this may be a
mistake. l am sure that this pulpit has not
been silent, nor will it be while occupied by
the present speaker. The Methodist CHURCH
has never held doubtful position, nor her
pulpit given an uncertain sound on this ques-
ton. At the last general conference the sen.
tlment and policy of the church was set I, rth,
through her representatives, as follows: "As
to drinking, moral suasiOn, as to govern
ment, absolute prohibition" On this plat
form stand.
priety and justice of prohibition. There is but
one of two policies concerning the liquor
question that is at all defensible- absolute free
trade, or absolute prohibition. License is an
absurdity and wrong. No man can favor
license without compromising his conscience
and
SHARING IN THE GUILT OF THE TRAFFIC.
Either every man has right to engage in the
manufacture aud sale of liquor, or no man has
right. If every man has a right, then every
man should be permitted to engage in the
business, with no more restraints Or regula-
tions than are placed on any other legitimate
business. III no man has the right, then the
business should be absolutely prohibited by
constitutional and legislative enactment
This is SO self evident that the duilest mind
may see it. Therefore, l say that The only
defensible, logical and consistent policy is
either absolute free trade or absolute prohibi.
ton. accept the latter and proceed to its
defense. Prohibition is consistent, logical,
defensible, efectual, right. It can be under
stood by native and foreign born citizens;
alike, by men, women, and even by children
by all. That 1t should meet with opposition
is not surprising. That side issnes should
be introduced and the mind diverted from the
main question is to be expected. That the
arguments, purposes and plans of its friends
should be mlsrepresented, ridiculed, carica-
tured, is but repetition of history ln all re-
forms. But we propose to hold ourselves to
the simple question of the constitutional pro-
hibition of the importation, manufacture and
sale of intoxicating liquors as beverage.
The reverend speaker then proceeded at
some length to point out the fallacies of the
-prohibitionists and in refutation of the
argument that prohibition is sumptuary
law. and an Invasion of personal liberty, and
contrary to the constitution, quoting literally
in favor of his argument from Hon. B. Gratz
Brown, of st. Louis, supreme court decisions
and other authorities, and concluded as fol-
lows:
L. We can agitote. Write, speak, lecture,
preach, sing, pray, circulate tracts, and, in
to look at this subject and prepare To act
when the time comes.
2. We can demand OF the legislature the
submission of the question TO vote of the
people. The dearest right OF the Amerl-
can people is the right of petition. We
can and do ask that we, the people,
may have the opportunity to express our
we will submit ard try again; if We are sue
cessful, all the good of earth and heaven will
rejoice with us. Gentlemen of the legislature,
give us a chance. You are only our servants.
We have not delegated to you the right to
settle this question for us. This is one OF the
Preserved" rights of the people. We demand
the opportunity to exercise it. What Can't
you trust the people? How, then, can you
expect the people to trust you They will not
trnst you. The party or politician
that will not give the people the opportunity
to settle this question, is doomed, and may as
well engage the services of the coroner and
an undertaken with his ice box. We do not
ask any party to commit itself to the support
of the principles or policy of prohibition; but
we do ask that all parties and all candidates to
the legislature shall commit themselves to the
right Of the people, independent of all parties
and politics, TO pass upon the question of con-
sututionai prohibition, in their sovereign Ca
pacity at the polls. We have tried various
other methods, not without some success; and
We will still use every method that will in tie
least degree help. But we now petition for
the ''liberty' of saying by our votes whether
or not we shall, by constitutional amendment,
forever prohibit from our state the manu-
facture and sale of all intoxicating liquors as
O beverage