Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-01-30
Is PROHIBITION A TEMPERANCE
MEAsURES

temperate in habits, are for temperance
on principle, and are in favor OF any
exredient and practical measure that
will reform the evils of intempersnee.
We believe that this Legislature re-
cognfzes-as do the people of this COM
munity, the people of this State, aud
the people Of the whole country-that
the evils OF intemperance are the great,
crying afiliction Of this country.
We believe they desire to eradicate
these evils.
The man who does not is a miSan-
thrope.
We believe, too, that the members Of
this Legislature who are opposed to
prohioitory amendment to the csnsti-
tuition are as honestly in favor Of eradi-
eating these evils as those who favor it.
We believe many Of them are more
50.
Let Us look calmly and considerably
at the proposition by which the advo-
Gates of q prOhibitory amendment seek
to correct the present crying evils Of
the liquor traffic:
l. They propose to pas a prohibitory
amendment to the Constitution.
What for?
Are the men who advocate this prop
ositiOn honestly DESTROYS of at once cor
recting the evils Of intemperance in
this State?
VIII this resolution, ifpassed, go into
operation at onee AMI begin the reform
now needed?
Will a prohibitory provision Of the
Constitution enforce itself?
Let us see: 1t must first be submitted
to a vote of the people at a general cleo
ton. That is nearly two years hence.
Then 1t must be supplemented by legis-
lation before it becomes operative.
That cannot possibly be done before the
Spring of 1885. That Legislature may
or may not complete the enactment Of
laws to put it in operation. 1t will il 1t
is in favor, and will not if it is opposed
to prohibition. But suppose It does.
The immense mOnied interests in this
State whose business is involved in the
measure will not submit to destruction
without going into the courts. They
will certainly go into the courts.
Do we exaggerate when we say that
it is absolutely impossible to hope for
any practical operation Of a prOhibitory
provision within five years?
Do We exaggerate when we say thatif
it was even more successful in this State
than 1t has ever been, there would be no
practical reform from it within the next
ten years?
Do the men who advocate this pro-
position believe seriously in the present,
subsisting, payable evils of intemper-
ance?
And are they willing to postpone re-
form for ten years?
Why not begin q reform now?
Why this circumlOcutiOn?
Is this q temperance Legislature? If
so why wait for the Legislature oflsS5?
Why wait for the delays, tbs risks, the
long-drawn strife Of two, three or five
years Of putting a ~prohibitory provision
in the Constitution?
Have these men eyerread the present
Constitution?
Do they not know there is plenary
power given for this Legislature to put
prohibition in force now? ROW!-not
five or ten years hence, but NOW?
In article VI, Sec. 46 of the COnstltu-
ton of West Virginia, it is declared that
''Laws may be passed regulating orpro-
RiBiting the sale of intoxicating liquors
within the limits of this State"
Why not pass the laws? Why not
prohibit BOW? Why not shut up every
dram-shOp in the State within ninety
days, 1t they are sincere ia the desire to
have a ~prohibitOry law?
2 Now, these are some! of the ques-
tons which arise in the minds Of those
who oppose = %prohibitory amendment
to the Constitution.
They are sincere in believing it not
only unnecessary, but unstatesmanlike,
hazardous to the welfare and future
prosperity Of the Stale, and that when
all the strife and bitterness it will oeca-
sion has been visited upon us, it will
only be a dead letter.
They do not believe our organic law
should be triied with. They do not be-
lieve in putting experiments in the con-
stitution. They do not believe in sub
jectipg the constitution to the risk Of
being trampled upon, and brought into
contempt, when the experiment may
be made, if it must be made, by an act
of the Legislature just as well. They
do not believe that the present consti-
tuition can be bettered. They do not
believe it is behind public sentiment.
And they do believe that it is not states
manlike, it is not good judgment, it is
not prudence, it is not in the interest Of
temperance to force this measure upon
the people in advance ola public senti-
ment to sustain it.
Even II q small majority Of the peo-
nile were In favor Of prOhibition-which
Ia an unsettled question-we all know
that there Is a powerful minority that
Ia not. In q question of this kind, If
the purpose is reform, it is not policy to
impose such restraints upon the per-
sonsl liberties Of the minority as are
sought by this proposition. Men do
not suddenly or willingly change their
habits when once formed, and lsE does
not and cannot reform 2 In 4 day the
.housandso OF ehizens ofthis State whose
babIts and opinions are opposed to this
law. The State canhot be.set right ny