St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-03-20
Gains of the Temperance Ref
OrmatiOn.
BY DANIEL DORCHESTER. D. D.

l.. lie prOnlDltOfl regime, Wherever
it has had a fair trial, has proved the
most effective policy for crippling and
suppressing the liquor traffic.
Several things should be promised.
No law of any kind will enforce itself !:
officers of law, in sympathy with the
drink traffic, will at best give only n
weak execution of prohibitOry law /;
and the fact that all liquor selling is
lot suppressed, in a state which has a
prOhibitOry law, no more proves that
prohibition does not prohibit than the
fact that there are illiterate children of
school age proves that our educational
system does not educate. No law
wholly prevents murder, burglary, etc
1t is not expected that any law will
wholly stop the sale of liquor. 1t is
both a moral and legal question.
What we claim is that prohibition is
the only proper attitude of the state
toward the liquor traffic, because "a
economy as productive of three -fourths
of the crime, pauperism, and insanity,
should not receive the approval and
seal of the state and that the prOhib-
itOry regimen more effectively protects
the state against this great evil than
any other liquor policy.
Grant that there are portions of
Maine and other prOhibitory states
where liquors are sold almost or quite
openly, and that there is also cOnsid
cradle clandestine liquor traffic; make
a very liberal allowance for these
things; after all, it is nevertheless
true that there is not 1.-THE of the
liquor sold in those prohibitory states
as compared with the amount sold i'll
license states. United States internal
revenue statistics show the govern
ment tax Oh liquors in Maine to be
1 cents and . mills; in Vermont
cents and , mills; in Kansas s cents
and 9 mills; in Massachusetts Sl.l6
per capita. These figures do not tell
the whole story, but they are one evil
dence. The prohibitory areas of Mary
land, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama.
Arkansas, etc, tell the same, when
those or other states.
am aware that a different opinion
is often expressed. 1t is claimed that
more liquor is drank under prohibition
than under license but this assertion
is falstied by the fact every where ap-
parent that the rum dealers hate pro-
hibition with a deadly hatred, and
enjoy the license system-a significant
fact.
The superior efficiency of prohibition
is clearly demonstrated by cOpiOus
facts in detail in little book entitled
'Prohibition does Prohibit" by J. n.
Stearns, corresponding secretary of
the national temperance society, and
by masses of testimony of the most re-
liable character, not aggregated in any
volume.
>. The principle of prohibition has
been vindicated by the highest civil
Jurisprudence.
Some provisions of some of the
earlier prohibitory laws were set aside
by the courts as contrary to sound ju-
risprudence but it is remarkable
fact that the principle of prohibiting
the sale of Intoxicating liquors as
beverage has never been condemned
by the courts.
In lS47, the supreme court of the
United States affirmed the right of
prohibition, the judges all agreeing.
Chief-Justice Taney said: 81 see moth
ing III the constitution of the United
States to prevent it from regulating
or restraining the traffic, or from pro
hibiting it altogether, if it thinks
proper" In this opinion, the five
judges agreed. Repeated efforts have
been made to secure a different decis-
ion, but in vain.
3. The last six years have witnessed
the most rapid spread of prohibitory
sentiment ever known.
Like surging pillows, it is felt from
Kansas eastward throughout the Uni
ted States, throughout the British Do
minion in North America, all over the
British Isles, through all the British
Colonies as far rs Australia and New
Zealand. Either in the form of absO-
lutte prohibition, or permissive pro-
hibition, or statutory or constitutional
prohibition, it is being agitated. 1t is
upon the Anglo Saxon brain, and it is
nightly working.
1t has entered politics. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY there to stay until it obtains its
Just demands. A troublesome intruder,
indeed, it is regarded by the politi-
clans; but there seems to be no way
to help it, so long as the heart-break
ing necessities of society cry ont for
adequate protection. UnwisdOm there
doubtless is sometimes in temperance
politicians but even their unwisdom
is better than the vicious temporizing
policy of the sOrdid politicians. No
man who legislates for the good of
society can ignore the liquor problem.
1t is living question which thrusts
itself into the political field.
t. The greatest and best forces of
modern society are gradually and
steadily marshaling themselves against
the dramshop, and pointing to its in
dictment as a nuisance, reprobate,
and an outlaw.
We shall not reach this point at once.
Therewill be stout and fierce resistance,
and delays. But we are advancing
toward it. Indiscreet refOrmers may
embarrass the work politicians may
hinder us; secretly indulged appetites
may weaken the action of some !;
spasms of timidity may distract others;
but there are too many great forces at
work, direct and indirect, human and
divine, to allow the defeat or long
pOstponement of the ultimate result.
The indictment has been drawn up.
The case is on trial. The index finger
of the century points to the coming
verdict. The witnesses are testifying
with clearness and emphasis. The
great and benefcent agencies of the
times all appear against it. Civiliza-
tion declares there is nothing in the
dramshOp which society can afford to
cherish medical science that it sees
nothing in it to approve, but much to
condemn; political economy, that it
finds nothing in it which it can indorse;
civil jurisprudence, that it can be vim
dicated by no just principles of law !;
pure philanthrophy, that she cannot
tolerate the prolific source of the woes