The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-11-22
Batraiiair 6azrttr.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER q, lisa.



Enron GAZETTE What is prohibition?
The word has come to have specific meaning,
and means the cutting eff the supply Of aloO-
holic beverages by the legislative action Of
the State.
Prohibitiouists, arc those who hold It 70 be
both the right and the duty Of the state to do
this for tic public benefit Those who oppose
this view, think that such action by the state
would be an unwArTsniable interference with
personal right, with the liberty OF the individ-
gal to eat and drink whatever he chose. That
alcoholic drink, as well as food, Is The gift Of
bonefceut Creator to be received with thank
fulness. and used with moderation, TO add 70
the comfort and happiness Of man. They, no
more than the prohibihouists, believe in iniem-
perance, drunkenness or the excessive use Of
alcoholic drink as 3 beverage. Why, then,
are men prohibitionists Are they men who
wish to interfere with the innocent gratihca-
lions Of their fellow men, to deprive them Of
any thing which promotes their personal CON-
fort And what right has the state to do 50
Prohibitonists arc regarded by their oppo-
nents, even, as good men though Of narrow
views, and fanauoal. But what possible mo-
tive can good men have, to wish to deprive
other mea Of that which contributes to their
happiness They love to see men happy,
why, then should they wish 10 mar it by cut
ting of any source Of enjoymentt Why aro
they prohimtiouisis, since it must deprive
many Of the means Of personal qualification
In reply, they are humane, they look around
them and see the land, yes, the world, filled
with crime, with poverty, with misery, with
degradation, with suffering. Their first ques-
ton Is, what Is the cause Of al this, and how
can it be relieved They find upon inquiry.
from Official reports, from examination Of the
victims themselves, and from other testemony
not to be called in question, that large poT-
tion Of the crime and Indebtedness which ex-
lists is directly and indirectly traceable 20 the
use Of intoxicating drinks. that not only these
which 90 stir the heart Of humanity are due tc
alcoholic beverages used to excess, but that q
large proportion Of the taxes which they arc
called upon to pay for the support Of the off,
oers Of the law, Of criminals, Of prisons, Of
alms-houses are due to the same cause. They
ind from observation and past history, that
1.-THE tendency Of the use Of such drinks, IS 10
increase, and in community for some portion
Of Il 10 become incorporate, and intempeTance
leading to violence, thrlftlessness and poverty.
II such be the history " the past, the ques-
ton is pertinent, how can it he prevented
The history Of the past shows that nothing but
total abstinence from its use, can be relied up
on as an absolute preventative or remedy.
History also shows that no influence has hither-
to been adequate to induce communities 10
practice total abstinence. Voluntary efforts
have at times checked the tide as in the days
Of the early efforts on this subject, but it has
only been for a season, The evil has been SO
wide spread that but few families have alto
gather ESCAPED. As I write, there lies before
me an address to which ! listened ffty-one
years ago, in which the speaker says 'How
many in this age and land can boast that the
blood Of intemperance does not TOW nearly or
remotely allied with their owns This was
SIX years after the first effort IN this cause in
the city Of Boston, and I know from obServs-
ton and information that the universally Of
this habit was true. The vigorous efforts Of
the philauthropists Of that day checked for
few years the increase Of intemperance in
many parts Of lhs country. New York City,
in ISIS, with l2O, 900 inhabitants had S.l6a
licensed liquor shops In 1889 with 225,O00,
it had hut 2,5O7, but although checked az times
by extraordinary efforts, nothing has hitherto
been able 70 arrest the progress Of iuteupsr-
ance. Nothing hut total abstinence can be
expected TO DO It, and nothing but prohibition
can he looked for to effect total abstinence.
The right Of the state to prohibit, and restrain
individual liberty. for the suppression Of
great evil, which is bringing into the commu-
nifty 50 much crime and wreichedness cannot
Re questioned. Ii may deprive man Of some
self Cratihcailon but no necessary Of lite, and
however small the number Of excessive drink /
ers may he relatively 70 the whole population |
it Is yet large enough 70 infict upon the con-
muniiy three fourthS Of all the crime, poverty |
and wrstcheiness which exists, with the heavy |
burden OF taxes. rendered necessary in conse- |
quence, besides the vast amounts paid by the |
drinkers for that which is unnecessary; and |
1il,ggs brings with Its use as beverage or |
luxury, 50 much misery and expense.
" Ardent spirits were introduced into the 1
English army as a cordial in 1851 whilst as
sistinC the Dutch in the Netherlands
Within the las; fifty years English Parlia-
nentary committees have investigated the |
subject Of the universal use Of alcoholic drinks 4
In the United Kingdom, aud borue their testi-
nouy to its unspeakAble injury. Careful and 1
reliable investigations have been made through /
AL the prisons an. alms-housss Of the great
State Of New York, as well as in other States. ,
Official records have been examined with the
result Of fixing upon Intoxicating drinks the
charge Of being 10 great csuse Of q large pro
Il those countries where iis use is common,
md the increasing conviction that prohibition
s the only sufficient remedy.
Alcohol has Its place Of usefulness IN the
Nateria Meiioa, in the AIRS and in Manufac-
ures But better were Il 70 forero altogether
heir legitimate use, than they should Be at
he foundation OF So much crime and misery.
winter says
The best authorities treat alcohol as q slim
liant that may he employed to advantage in
the eufeshlod powers In advanced
taEes Of fevers, or Fastening their couvales-
eDce from acute diseases. Also IN cases q
hruuic debility"
Another SAYS SGnulauts ezalt nervous
ciiou temporarily and compel the wheels to
evolve rapidly, hut they supply 10 threads to
roof or warp, and sooner or later break the
hutile"
Pertinent to his subject, interesting 70 the
bstinence reader and illustrative Of some Of
be foregoing positions, are the following items
ID paragraphs from late eastern papers, from
Professional and distinguished men: d" Chol-
"a and all other pestilental diseases make {
heir first visits 70 those who use hsbituslly
iimulatInE drinks
says Bishop Ireland Of Minnesota Have
on studied The causes Of these. vAat crimes? /
nave Nlcl 70 tiulf lltus so ll Jar e GlLlee
ave questioned jEdgos and police officers
% Sc-s Is the fact, Ninety per cent AZ least
al lrish crimes are traceatle directly OF / :
directly to drink. Your remedy ny brethren +!
total abstinence" Mayor Jacobs, OF L0cans- ?
or, Indiana said, e four-hfihs OF the crime
the city was caused by the use Of iuio1ioa-
nE drinks" Carol D. Wright, Chief Of the
Massachusetts, Beard o. Statistics. reported 70
&c Social Science Association al SaratoEa,
lai " siIiy per cent. Of the convictions II SUI.
TX County, which includes tic City Of Boston
ere for distinctive rum offences Twelve per
mt. Of the sentences were for other offences |
srpetratod Wills; the persons were IN liquor,
akinE eighty four pr cent. q the convictions |
Suffolk County irsoesble 70 liquor ''Over ]
Ehty per cent q the arrests made IN New
aver last rear were due-to inienperaucc. -
Z. Gladsto9o, II The House Of Commons some
ouihE age, SAID, We suffer more year BY
sar, and everytvear frul intempeFa1ce. than
On val, famine and pestilouce combined,
ese three great soourEes Of the human fam
y Charles Buxton, Member q Parliament
I'd, " Through iuisuperance, there arc more
an FIVE hundred Thousand homes IN ihis
luntrT, lEuElEDil where home happiness Is
.terly unknown.
Nov all this misery, and a great deal
ore Is utterly impossible without the liquor
afhc, The prohibiiian movement goes directly