The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-02-12

high license.
What was the pretense for this at
titude of these honorable men? 1t
was that public opinion was not pre-
pared for prohibition, therefore high
license. under the circumstances, the
best thing possible. But this, again,
was begging the question. It assumed
that the public opinion of the State
was not in favor of prohibition. The
temperance men declared the contrary
to be the fact, and the pledge of the
party was to ascertain the will of the
people by popular vote. This was
the only thing demanded by the tenn
perance. men and women Of New York,
and the party was pledged to concede
it. Who were they who opposed this
measure? Only those who were op-
posed to prohibition. 1t was they only
who did not wish to afford the people
an opportunity to show what the pop
ular opinion really was. If these pol
iticians believed that a popular vote
would be in favor Of the grog shops.
is there any man so simple as to sup
pose they would not have gladly adopt
ed the only plan which could establish
the fact? The temperance man said:
1.-THE people are in favor Of prohibi-
tion. Let US try it by popular vote.
The friends of the grog shops-the
politicians and many honorable men,
claiming TO be temperance men-re-
piled: mo; the people are in favor
Of grog shops; but you shall not have
the opportunity to ascertain what the
fact really is" And so the politicians
battle the people Bnt they could not
do this if the friends and professed
friends of temperance were agreed as
to what the policy Of the State should
be toward the liquor traffic.
In England, the voice of the people
has been taken upon this question in
great many localities in all parts of
the kingdom-in the worst parts as
we'll as in the best parts Of many large
towns, and in manv rural Districts
and never with a smaller majority
with a much larger majority. reaching
often to ten. twelve. even twenty to
one. And the curious thing about
this plebiscite was that. in the worst
parts of the towns. occupied largely
by the victims of the public houses,
the majoritips against the grog shops
were largest, while in the better parts
of the towns they were
smallest. I heard Liverpool clergy
man say on the platform at a great
public meeting that. in the worst parts
of that drunken city, where every
house had at least one drunkard. he
could obtain unanimous vote for
prohibition.
Before the people of Maine had the
opportunity of a direct vote on the
liquor question. we were baffied by the
politicians They were men in favor
of license, and they declared that the
popular will was against prohibition
bnt for all that they voted down in
the legislature our petitions for pop
ular ballot on Constitunal Prohibi-
tory Amendment, the pretense being
that tn people were opposed to it..
Our legislature vie ldpd to our demand
at last, only in the fear that we would
otherwise smash the party. The re-
suit of the vote in Maine was an over
whelming maiority-three to one-in
favor of putting into the "Organic
Law" declaration that the manufac-
ture Of Intoxicating liquors. the sale
and keeping for sale Of such liquors,
except for medicinal and mechanical
purposes and the arts, are and forever
shall be prohibited. The majority
was twice as large as was ever before
had in Maine by any party or for any
proposition. Is there any reason to
suppose that the people of Maine are
more intelligent than those Of New
York? That they understand better
the interests Of the nation, and are
more devoted to them?
But, Independently of the fact that
a license law never did and never can
diminish the volume Of liquors sold,
nor in any way reduce the amount of
evil coming from the liquor traffic,
the policy of license involves wrong
doing, so clearly and so distinctly,
that | do not see how any man whose
life professed to be governed by rules
Of right can possibly assent to it, much
less approve and support it, " as many
honorable men do. The liquor traffic
inhcts more mischief upon the State
and NOR misery upon the people than
all other sources of mischief and mis-
cry combined 1t wages deadly war
upon every interest Of nation. state
and people. As it hourishes, every
legitimate industry languishes and
dies. 1t wastes the wages Of labor
and the profits of business to such an
extent that nine-tenths of all poverty,
panperism and suffering come from it.
Tt so degrades and brutifes the people
that nine-tenths of all crime comes
from it. and one-third Tin this coun-
try) Of all insanity. Il so affects the
homes Of the people that there are
more than five hundred thousand Of
them in this country. where home
happiness is utterly unknown, which,
but for it. would be peaceful. prosper
ous and happy 1t inficts upon the
community more and greater evils
than come from war. pestilence and
famine combined: more than come
from confagration, famine and civil
war" Tt is the great obstacle to the
progress Of the Gospel through the
world. and of higher and purer civ
ilization. It disinclinps to honest in
dustry, and finally units for it all who
come under its influence. who, with
their families and dependents, are
then pensioned upon the sober peo-
pie for support. 1t wastes and kills
like war; it destroys like confagra-
ton, leaving nothing bnt the
blackened ruins Of everything it touch
es. It is 1.-THE gigantic crime Of
crl II inf Iat11r tho
nifty more evils of every kind than
come from all other crimes bined.
Through the inevitable degradation,
brutalization and savagery coming
from it to the people, it is the fruit
full source Of nihilism, communism,
and of that spirit Of violence which