Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-01-19

,
affirming the right Of the people of cities,
towns and parishes to decide the question Tor
themselves whether grog shops shall be csiab-
Iishcd among hem by law against their con
sent The history Of The prohbiiive move
ment in the United Kingdom IS a curious one.
This was the way ofit
In The spring Of 1858 two members Of the
society u friends we've crossing the Irish
Channel from Holy Head TO Dublin. One oil
them was ri LN Of Maine, The other wa,
Nathan Card, d Manchester, England. The
Maine laN was then attracting much attention
there, a, well as 10 this county. Friend Gard
asked Friend Jones particularly about the
results Of Obi, mode Of dealing with the liquor
traffic, Friend Jones. having been long
time from home, wa not well informed upon
,hr matter and advised bis friend 10 write ,o
Maine where foil and particular information
could be had. In due lime Friend Gard re
eeiyed q reply To- hi, letter, vhcreuppn be in.
yiied SIS Manchester gentlemen Of his ac1ulint.
ance to meet him 10 a committcc.room Of the
Merchants Library Building in that city
After the reading Of the American letter these
seven gentlemen then and there formed q
society, to which they gave 40 imposing name
The United Kingdom Alliance for the
Immediate, Total, Legal Suppression Of the
Liquor Traffic. This was on the isth OF
June, 1898.
This alliance" has now become the richest
and most Influential temperance society in the
world, having in lis membership great many
influential men aud women and funds so large
that it is able to spend annually in its work
about SI2o, 600. Not long after It's formation
Sir WilTed Lawson, then Mr. Lawson, re-
Gently elected to parliament, introduced into
the house Of commons his measure for the
remission to the people 10 their several local..
tie, Of the night to vote yes or no upon the
question Of granting licenses among them.
The alliance Immediately gave in is cordial
adhesion to th, proposition and promoted it
with all its influence and power.
At the first vote upon it in the house Of
commons it had only thirty supporters, and its
opponents sought to put down the project with
laugh and a sheer. Mr. Lawson said good
humorcdly: "Let those laugh who win. The
members OF the house shall have an opportunity
to vote upon this measure at every sessian while
| | have the honor Of a seat in.f And he has
kept his word For many years this question
has come up, as a trouble to INSCRIPTIONS, un
seating many Of them and greatly annoying
Others.
Sir Wlfred was constantly and badly voted
down at every session of each succeeding
parliament, but by constantly diminishing
mljorites, until the coming in Of the last
one. Almost all the most influential members
were steadily against him, including Mr.. Glad
stone and The lath Earl Beaconsfeld but Sir
Wilired did not relax his efforts or feel the
lightest doubt Of final success. - Because it is
right" was his constant remark in public as
well as private.
But early in the struggle the alliance and
other temperance agencies throughout the
kingdom laugh the people that the success o.
the movement would be impossible unless its
friends should carey il 1gif5fiihgi all party ties
and voting only for this one objec, protection
to nation and people from the infinite evils OF
the liquor traffic, more and greater than those
OF war, pestilence and famine combinedr'
SirWiired was beaten at the last session but
one OF parliament by majority OF Ia7. The
house was dissolved, general election took
place, and and new house assembled, at the
! first session Of which Sir Wfred won by a
majority of 20, Mr.. Gladstone voting against
/ hin, h.. h.,l Il.
AT the last session but one Sir Viii
fred won 10y majority OF 40 Mr.. Gladstone
still voting against him, but promising to bring
in bill in accordance with the will of the
house, which he failed to do, and has not done
70 this day.
We allude to all this only with view co
show more clearly the great progress which the
| prohibitiye movement has made in England
and the irresistible public opinion in its favor
a few months ago Sir Wilfred introduced his
measure once more, and won by majority of
81, Mr.. Gladstone for it. Nothing can show
more clearly than this fact the great power
of public opinion in the whole kingdom agains,
the liquor traihc, Mr.. Gladstone going back
publicly upon all his past life and facing about
upon this great public question. There is no
reason whatever to think that he is in any way
changed in opinion or feeling as to the temper
ance movement on the one hand OF to the
liquor traffic upon the other II has been
simply case of co mpulsion and propulsion by
public opinion, power now so strong in the
kingdom that il cannot be resisted. The
Temperance men there say: 1t is great
outrage to force BISHOPS upon an unwilling
people. Mr.. Gladstone has many times voted
'No" on tina, proposition. Atlasl public opinion
has compelled him to assent 10 H. But when
his bill shall come before parliament We shall
see how thorough his conversion has been to
the proposition Tor which he voted
|, is believed in England that he will not in
any way yield To the demand OF the people
for direct popular vote on the question OF
license and no license, but will propose a
country licensing board, which shall have no
power to respond to the popular demand for the
srtiymsAssesf OF the grogshops. There have
been millions Of petitioners for this measure,
hut not one for that which Mr. Gladstone will
Try TO carry through. Fore mauy years no
question in Enngland would call together such
vast crowds OF people As this Legal pro-
lection from the liquor traffic" Many OF the
most eminent, men and women in the kingdom
support il, and when Lord Brougham joined
!, he called the society which was working in
II the "Grand Alliance
The house Of commons Is as sentative to
public opinion as a thermometer is to change
Of temperature, and il is an extraordinary thing
that in less than year il should change a
majority Of l,7 in favor OF eros shops into a
majority OF 81 against them, making difference