Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1883-1884, 1883-08-17
Difference ut Opinion.

VA NVO lulN lllOlllttlS w lIlsthC lCM IT,
marks upon the temperance question us
presented last Sunday evening. Our
speaker made some good points, and his
remarks bore evidence of Il thorough in-
vestigation of his subject. No doubt
he fully believes what lie holds-as be-
heve him to be an honest gentleman
however do not agree with him alto
gether. but to disagree with a person is
not to hold disagreeable feelings toward
them by any means III my belief so these
are simply friendly comments and moth
ing more. To be sure all workers and
friends OF the temperance cause are not
satisfied with what has been done in the
way of progress, but to say that nothing,
plished, seems rather unjust. Since the |
progress Of our enemy has been made
III the very face of such determined and
earnest opposition, who will deny that
the advance would have been much more
rapid and fearful without this restraint
to hold it in check? The fact carries it's
own proof, for it is a fact fully demon
strated that without the restraining i'll
tlueuce of good, iniquity abounds much
more and gathers speed in proportion to
the absence of restraint 1t surely can
not be gainsaid that the efforts made in
behalf of temperance have accomplished
SOlllC SOOU. IL lllttS UCs
not denying there may have been a bet
ter way to proceed, but in all reforms it
has been fully proven that we must
''creep before we walk" learning to
walk by taking many a tumble, and then
learn to go around the things that trip
us. This is the history of all reforms.
They are never effected at once nor with
ont many false moves, but are not the
false moves as useful, nay, necessary as
the right ones? Since it is by eXper-
iellce that blind humanity must learn
their lessons. However, the speaker
finally acknowledged that we could not
tell what the present condition might
he had not this opposing influence been
| fully agree with him that the proper
end Of this question is to begin with the
youth, which phase of the work is re-
ceivng more attention and prominency
of late than has previously been the case;
but since this work il the rear must
necessarily be of slow progress; in the
meantime would it not he wise and pru
dent as well us good policy to assail the
front ranks doing What is possible, and
though it Ike ever SO small still it is some
timing and we are the better off for the
effort made. 1t may be that high licence
is the stepping stone by which we may
reach prohibition. But our speaker after
making all liquors pure-whlch is de-
have liquors let's have it pure and less
delnorllizing-a placing the license
! so high that a man of moderate means
; could dot indulge long without becoming
bankrupt, left us there without suggest
ing amy means of getting rid of it, and
l doubt very much ii it would be gotten
rid of, since it would be wholly in the
hands OF the wealthy who could afford
it, who are also powerful combatants
and would stamp it with responsibility
by making it fashionable as we'll as pos
sessing the additional enticement of
being pure, of which it was stated a man
could take IL good deal Of and not be i'll
juIed; and SO it seems to me with this
, state of affairs in existence it would
simply make it aristocratic and make
another opportunity of exhibiting the
sellisllness Of human nature by '.robbing
we all recognize the rights of our fellow
beings. but ii we should see man with
a cup of poison pressed to his lips in the
act OF swallowing it who would deny the
right OF a brother to h,lrl it from him; is
! it not his duty to make an effort to save
, him. notwithstanding his perfect right
to swallow it if lie chooses? This is a
parallel case. With these differences in
the case cited, the man would die at
once on within Il few hours at most;his
death would only harm himself is in fact
an individual case, while in the case of
IL drunkard though death is just as GER
tain, unfortuuatcly-I say it sincerely,
it is much more prolonged, and not only
scores of Others leaving behind him such
IL wretclied train of misery as to prove
J that the world would have been much
. better off if he had never entered it. We
can easily see that the latter is far the
more aggravated case, and reason would
say demands stronger and more earnest
effort to rescue such. Now are we going
to succeed in saving them by telling such
that they have IL perfect right to kill
themselves if they wish to, and empha-
sizing that right until they feel that it
is not only their privilege but it is right
to use it. There is one right that rises
higher than all others; the divine right
of doing good, and when this right is
of the one whom it effects, hence there
can he 10 harm done. We will admit
that there can be an improper use made
of all privileges: but we'd. better err in
doing good than to stand idly notifying.
We can't shrink our duty by putting the
responsibility on others. Our creed says
''Do unto others as you would have
others do unto YOU" Pardon me if l
have encroaclled too much upon your
space. CHARITY.
Everybody invited to call and gaze on
that elegant line Of glassware at Odegard
II Thompson $. If you don't buy it's
your own fault.
.W~ A full line of Dry Goods just
opened at Whidden Bros