The Indianapolis journal., 1883-02-19

piece of blank paper and write us a statutory
enactment which will suit you in the way of
restriction, and we will unite all our forces to
have it adopted. We will whip all op-
posers in, or at least stigmatize them as
impracticable, extremists, fanatics" This is
the exact attitude to which we are now ex-
horted by several prominent newspapers pro-
Tossing to desire the suppression of the ac-
knowledged evils of the liquor traffic. Shall
we, as Christian workers, yield to this de-
mand to allow the liquor league to dictate
anti-liquor legislation? Shall we, as a part
of Christian and patriotic duty, heed the adj
monition of the Cincinnati Commercial Ga
zette and other papers, that say we must
avail ourselves of the help OF the liquor men
in procuring legislation against the evils OF
intemperance, and get up such laws as would
suit them? Or shall we accept such sug-
gestion as one of even sound philosophy or
common sense? viii the liquor men devise
law against their interests? In truth, it is
merely a new phase of the old maxim, Let
us do evil that good may come" of
the advocates of which st. Paul said
whose damnation is just" The Bible again
solemnly warns us in this wise: "Be ye not
unequally yoked together with unbelievers,
for what fellowship has righteousness with
unrigh teousness, and what communion hath
light with darkness" What could be more
unequal yoking together than to intrust our
reform work in legislation to those whose
selfish interests are all interviewer with the
evil to be corrected?
Not only is the high license scheme urged
as a substitute for prohibition false in princi
pie, cheat and a snare, but it is equally de-
lusive and false in fact. 1t can have no other
effect than to concentrate the traffic and
make it more dangerous by removing compe-
ttion out of the way of those who cav pay
the price fixed on the work of slaughter.
There are always men who can pay the Ii
cense;or ii single individuals cannot partner
ships can. These having the whole trade TO
themselves, can make it more profitable even
without raising the price to single customers.
and they can thereby make their places more
respectable" and attractive by extra fur
nishing and "refinements"-mu music, paintings,
etc.-so as to draw in class of young men
who are not so degraded as to go into low
places of resort This is the secret of the
willingness of the liquor men," so patheti-
cally invoked by the Commercial Gazette, to
help the temperance people by taking the
work of legislation into their own hands In
| Ohio, where the Gazette is published, the
liquor men seem willing to take the no-li-
cense clause out of the State constitution,
restoring the power of license Sometimes
we are told that the dealers are alarmed when
high license is talked Of and at
other times that the dealers will
help secure such legislation. These
appear contradictory but both are true.
The poorer dealers, who will be unable to
pay high license, are doubtless opposed to
the scheme, those who can pay the high Ii
Cense will be glad enough to have a monop-
oily of the trade which this "hign protective
tatiff' will not fail to yield them. They can
charge higher prices to make it up, since
high prices never deter drinkers even in
their great poverty And even without an
increase IN price the increase of trade will
make the business vastly more profitable to
those who have it thus concentrated in their
hands. The whole matter is a trick to decoy
temperance workers from their duty and
lukewarm Temperance people," so called,
use it as an opiate to their consciences. Let
us not tamper with iniquity, but with an
uncoInpromising hostility to the traffic let
us keep an eve on the time which God will
bring about if we are faithful and steadfast.
NJ. L. WELLS
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