The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-03-28
From the TEMPERANCE Gazette :.

resolutions to change the constitution so dS
to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intox-
icating liquor, by vote of 26 to 3d. Let 1t
be understood that this vote not only lndl-
Gates that % Democrats and Republicans
voted against prohibition, but let it be under
stood that these men also voted against allow
ing the people to exercise their will. Two
successive sessions of the legislature must
pass these resolutions before the people can
be heard. Either majority of the people
are in favor of prohibition or they are against
it. If they are against it the cause of rum will
be endorsed by the people, and surely this
will be helpful to the liquor traffic, but if a
majority of the people are opposed to the
liquor system then the legislature has said
that the people shall not prohibit the liquor
curse by constitutional and statutory law.
What right has the legislature to
say that the people shall not have
the opportunity to vote on this question?
Thousands of voters, by petition, have asked
the legislature to grant this privilege, saying
nothing of the thousands of mothers, wives
and sisters who have joined in the prayer.
The New Jersey Annual Conference, repre-
senting nearly 10000 members and perhaps
200, 900 in all who are Methodists in principle
has unanimously asked the Legislature to pass
these resolutions. The Presbyterian church
has also joined in the petition as has also the
Baptist church. It is safe to say that all
churches are in favor of the resolutions that
were voted down on Tuesday last. To the
churches must be added the host of temper
ance people and all good citizens who want
the liquor curse abated, saying nothing of the
thousands who drink because they are too
weak to resist and who, therefore, pray "let
prohibition come" Why do the servants of
the people say that the people shall not be
heard? Will the eight Republicans and
twenty-five Democrats tell us? We are puz-
zled If we take temperance into the pulpit
politicians say 1--WE don't want it there" if
we take it into politics they say, 1--WE don't
want it there" if we ask it to be taken out of
politics as in this case, SO that the people can
vote on it, we are snubbed. What shall we
do? Only one other thing remains, let all
good men unite with us in voting for prohi-
bition as distinct and separate issue until one
of the parties shall adopt our principles.
The eight Republicans who voted against the
prohibition resolutions are the men who have
passed the state over to the Democrats in the
next election. Save this article and mark our
prophesy.
We rejoice that Notwithstanding the wide
difference, in some respects, between Protest
antism and Roman Catholicism, there is one
question upon which they are swiftly and
surely coming to see eye to eye. 1t is the
great, all-important question of temperance.
Our Catholic friends are determined by no
manner of means, to lag behind in this good
work of temperance reform. Says Father
Burke: "When God made us he gave us soul
and body together. in all the activity of their
powers. The man that annihilates his own
soul for single instant by drunkenness COM
mits an outrage against the God that has
made him, against the author of his nature"
That's sound sense. Here is another, with
practical work added to the theory or sound
sense: Father Nugent (the priest whom
Cardinal Manning describes as the second
Father Matthew Of this century, has opened
free concert-rooms in Liverpool as counter
action to the gin palaces. The music, which
is both vocal and instrumental, is of high
order and the large hall is crowded every con-
cert night"
The late Bishop Peck said: "The next
great uprising of the people of this country
will be against the traffic in intoxicating
liquors" And from the signs of the times
1--WE may add there can be no doubt as to
the winning side. Revolutions never 20
backward. Temperance reform in the shape
of total and universal prohibition, is revo-
luton inspired of God, demanded by the high
est interests of humanity and cannot fail.
Besides on its fate hangs the perpetuity of the
church as we'll as the civil institutions of our
country. Who will skulk in the rear of this
great, God-inspired, onward advancing host,
now marching forward for the emancipation
of um-enslaved race!
The Nashville Christian Aduocate says
The religious press of the country is prac-
tically unit in its attitude toward drunken
ness and drunkard making Back of these
religious newspapers are millions of voting
men and nravinp woman Rack of tbaca 30