The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-09
The Catholics and Temperance.
Axso1 inke Reformed Pre8butP1fnn.


Associate Reformed Presbyterian.
From the recent uttcrances of certain dignl
taries of the Catholic church, together VIII
the delivcrances of the Plenary Council held
in Baltimore last December it would seem
that the friends and advocates of the Temper
ance Reform are about to find In this eclcsias
teal body nm UNLOCKED for but strong and IN.
fluential ally. The Roman Catholic Church
has the power TO strike blow for prohibition
that will shake to the centre the enemy s
strong hold.
It is stated upon reliable authority that 0
very large per cent. Of the saloon keepers and
rum vendors Of this country are Catholics
This being the case, CONSERVATION Will be ere
atcd In their ranks and among all the friends
of the liquor traffic whenever the opposition
that has so recently manifested itself shall be
sanctioned Ly the Pope, and the priests be di-
rected to use their influence al>d authority To
enforce reformatory measures,
The Plenary Council referred to made the
following deivcrance IN relation TO the liquor
traffic:
Day which is so prolific of evil results that t.
special condemnation. This Is the practice
OF selling beer or other liquors on Sabbath, or
OF frequenting places where sold. This prac'
tice tends more thnn asy other to turn the
use 1t as an occasion for breeding intefpper-
ance While we hope that Sabbath laws on
this point will not be relaxed, but even more
rigidly enforced, we tmplore all Catholics, for
the love. of God and OF country, never to take
part in such traffic; nor to countenance or
patronize It; and we not only direct the at
tention OF all pastors to the repression OF Ibis
abuse. but ,Ue also cali upon them to induce otl
of their fockS that may be engaged In the snte q
Hquorsto abandon as soon as they can the dan.
0erous traffic, and TO embrace O more becoming
tUdy Of making Hring."
And yet more recently we nave Lne earnest
words Of priest of the church who speaks
out in favor Of total prohibition, at the same
time refusing to ignore those measures which
look to a regulation and restriction Of the de-
stroying evil.
five cannot Danish the monster in q day
from our social state, let us not condemn anu
hinder other measures that are calculated to
weight, clog and cripple the business. Lei
uS not refuse to endorse and aid any measures
that may in the least protect society from the
prepiIre the way for and eventually result In
O full and final Punishment OF the accurseo
traffic from our land.
After declaring himself an out and out pro
hibitionist as far as regards the ultimate sup
preston of the liquor traffic, the speaker con
tinucd, as follows!
ain other words. am in favor Of killing
this monster as soon as we possibly cam But
If find 1t impossible to kill him tonight,
will begin by starving him to death, and kill
ing him TO morrow, II can. Therefore, am
in favor for the present-when I speak this
way, I speak only for myself, ana l mysei
am in favor Of the Lishest penalty beihg i'm
posed upon the liquor traffic that it is possible
for us to engage the public opinion IN lmpos
Ing.
I do not like the name license. We hear SO
much about "license." think 1t Is an unfor
tunate mistake that The penalty imposed on
the liquor traffic, that 1t may compensate
somewhat for the evils 1t entails upon socie
ty. has been called "license." 1t is a tar, g
pennlty, hat is imposed on this traffic; not tc
make it legitimate, not tO place 1T under The
protection Of the law, but to place 1t under
ihe ban of public opinion and. consequent
iy. inSt tcad of placing it under the prot ection
Of the law, we place it under the destruction
of public opinion as soon as we possibly can
30 thut the majority OF the men who w3rk
within my lines, work with me In the Catho
lie Total Abstinence Union OF America, favor
the highest possible penalty that we car
place upon this deadly business: And we ia'
vor this, first, because we find that public
opinion is not prepared, as rule, In most 10
calilies, for anything more extreme. mere
uubiic opinion has been educated up to any.
Thing more vigorous than this, am ,prepared
to say, let public opinion prevail. But &c
not mean by this that we are to sit down and
wait, as the gentleman who preceded me Said
until public opinion becomes ready: but
say we should 60 on training. and leading uI
and educating public opinion by every
process possible, that 1t may he the more
readily adapted for this PARTICULAR purpose o.
Wiplng out Tile lndlIlOllS III
ing LIQUORS. This Is the first reason.
And, secondly, we flnd-at lenst. nave
found by many yaars Of experience IN tota
abstinence work-tllat where this h1gh pcnai
ty has been imposed, 1t is more easy for the
police regulatson to take care of the evil con
sequences Of the liquor traffic, and to punist
those who violate the law. We find, also
that the traffic in this way compensates-a
least somewhat-f3r the misery II ant entails: ,b
paupers this business has created. 1t help!
them to pay some of the expenses OF the crin
inal proceedings that haye grown out OF IL
II helps, IN ether words, 10 compensate solne-
ing this statement in favor of high penalty
| by no means desire to see 1t brought un
der the protection Of the law, and made re
spectable business under the guardianship
the stars and stripes OF America am l., lneIe
which says that "hgh license as IL Is calied
or high penulty-as would call it-w1ll abol
i>h many Of the low saloons, anu MAKE tns
Others more respectable. I make no distlnc
ton between the saloon with the Frencf
plate mirrors, and that with the saWdust or
the floor where tile poor people 60. There II
no distinction as regards the reSpectamlity
the saloon, for the name "IeSpcctable shouit
never mentioned IN connection Will an9
thing OF the sort. ,..,, -o
In Concluding he made some additional re
marks which all friends OF Temperance woult
do well to carefully weigh and conscientious
ly practice: -, ,, =,
Let rs be prohibitionists If we viii, high II
cense (high penalty men If we will, or me,
addicted only to moral sunsion, put tes Us oa. a.
be Total ubstainers. Then the legislature neet
never refer to the liquor traffic. If the peopl
of this country will only become total an
stainers, if the consumers will only cease u
be consumers, we will very soon settle tn
whole question. For, after all, 1t Is the con
sumers who must settle this question. lie
the demand cease, and the supply Will yer!
soon fall Off.