The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1883-04-27
WAITING ron PrRLIc SENTIMENT.
ny REv. p. a. NOBLE, n. D


II Is said that prohIbItory laws are
well enough whore there Is a public
10 back them up !. bu.
otherwise they are imperative. There
are good many assumptions Ia that
statement, and O good many things
which at best are only half true. But
granted that II be altogether so, aud
that is Is Ia vain TO look Tor any good
results without q public sentiment 10
enforce the statute (; why Is there not
this public sentiment !? Il Is Just
simply because SO many men are say.
Ing 'If," and ''and, aud "but, !" and
all that, when they talk about the
suppression Of this evil Of liquor bel.
ling by law. Ifonly every man who
says, al should be In favor ola pro-
hibItory law II there were public
sentiment 10 sustain tn would last
say, al am in favor Of q prchioItory
law" that would make q public sem
tiinent There would be no division
OF ranks, and no doubt about the
opinions and determination of the
people.
But waiting for public sentiment
What kind Of On attitude Is that for a
true and earnest man to take In the
presence Of needed moral reform !?
Paul did not walt for public sentI-
ment TO support him In preaching the
gospel he went te work and made
public sentiment. Richard Golden
did not walt for public sentiment to
ne well defined and clamorous before
ne began his agitation for corn law
repeal he set out solitary and alone,
and winning John Bright and few
other abe men TO his side, he trav.
ersed the land, planning, speaking,
agitailng he created q public sentI.
ment before which Sir Robert Peel
and the whole Tory party were only
as so much ehaff before the wind.
Bismarck did not wait for public sen.
timent to push him TO the task OF
unifyins and solldilylDg Germany !;
ne pushed the people, and brought
them to his owa mind. The heroic
Garibaldl did not walt ne saw clear.
ly what ought to be done to redeem
Italy from the thraldom OF the Pope,
and make 1t q nation amongst nations,
and he threw himself Into the breach
and led the way to victory. The dead
Gambetta did not walt he took the
people In their hour OF despair and
trained them Into hope when they
were In confusion and organized
them when parties were plotting,
and dethroned dynasties were schem-
Ing for reinstatement, and made
France Q republic. Neal Dow did not
wait for public sentiment to support
him In his demand for prohibitions.
Month after month, year after year,
he and his faithful co-workers
wrought at the business Of making
public sentiment. and they did IL.
Public sentiment does not make
Itself. Public sentiment does not
move forward Of Itself. When there
Is vigorous public sentiment on any
question Of morals, II Is because
somebody has taken an advanced Pc
siticn, and educated and drawn the
people up to It. II all who think
and even say It would be O good
thing to close liquor saloons, and to
put out the fires In these distIllerIes
and breweries, and to stay the vast.
waste of strength and thought and
lime and money, and homes and
hopes and lives, would only say 1t
any .Ifs," and lands" and
'buts,Y and having said It q would
'tand by 1t, public sentiment on This !
iquor business would swell and press
IN like an Incoming Tide, and In
little while there would be laws look
ng to the suppression OF this evil
which would have In them the force
Il the right hand Of Ged. al
Meantime let no man nor woman
ose heart, for In spite of back setting
Iddies here and there, and stagnant
'asias, the great stream Of temper
nee sentiment and conviction and
'urpese moves steadily forward.
n0ur honored guest must not ieel