The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-10-24

the mind and its powers blight. Ii
touches the soul, and unless grace
Omn,potent interferes, it sends it reel
ing into hell. You may let it alone;
it will not let you alone. 1t is no re-
spector of persons. 1t is nnseehoAaI.
Not as was slavery, a blight circun-
scribed by geographical bounds. Not
as polygamy, entrenched in a form
that an army could throw up earth
works and lombard it. From the
rice swamps of the South, to the pine
woods Of the North, from the East,
where the sun rises above the wild At
lantc, to the West, where it drops as
into the calm Pacific. In the black
mans hut, in the pioneers cabin, in
the factory town and the Federal cap
ital. 1t is omnipresent in our land.
1t is necessarily POLITICAL And it be-
comes so because it is necessarily a
moral question.
Law, in the sense Of statutory en-
actments, is either the expression of
moral sentiment already attained un-
to, or Of moral sentiment intellectu-
ally recognized as right to the extent
that it becomes possible to codify it.
ha lau >f ha alat ~
ing, arson, murder, and other crimes
express the peoples sentiment rela-
tive to them. Time was when that
Sentiment did not exist. 1t came by
processes of growth.
When it was so nearly attained as
to make it possible and expedient to
express itself by law, public sentiment
did thus utter its convictions. And
though no doubt weak at first, such
sentiment has become SO strong that
it is to-day unquestioned.
The same is true OF ahe question
we consider. You cannot, III the ma.
ture of things, use what is termed
"moral suasion' as an isolated
method; as Gnallty. When
moral suasion has become SO
far successful. as 10 create
prevailing sentiment, it will utter It
self in law. We have reached. for
instance, point in our view of edu
cation in this State where ii is quite
generally felt that the youth should
clearly know the physical effects of
certain elements (alcohol and mar
cotics) in their nature, and that senti-
ment speaks in law, and operates in
the schools. So it will be in every
question which touches the peoples
welfare. Moral suasion which looks
10 the creation of sentiment by per-
suasive methods, will, if Of a general
nature and generally successful, cul-
inmate in legal enactments which are
Of a restrictive and coercive nature.
In our Democratic government sem
timent utters itself into law through
political Il do not say party) meth
ods. When any sentiment is diversely
viewed, but deemed of such import
ance and bearing as to make expedi-
ent party action, political action by
party is the result. 1t becomes a
party measure. My point, however,
is that sentiment becomes codifed by
political action. In government OF
the people, and for the people, such
political action is wrought by the
beobk. Administration are set to
execute the purpose of the people.
For these reasons: its vast magnitude,
the closeness Of its touch upon the
individual, its unsectional, but politi-
cal nature, the temperance question
presents itself to us as it never has to
ANY other people. 1t demands the
utmost intelligence in devising means
for its solution, and the highest type
of political and moral integrity in the
execution of any plans set on foot 10
accomplish it. In this, as in every
desired reform,
Evil is wrought
BY want of thought
As well rs want of heart"
The temperance reform, which is