The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-04
MAKING A NEW UNIVERSE


the popularity he achieved as the
author Of the educational bill which
passed the Senate. He has become
ianatical and seems disposed to legis-
late new universe into existence in
which the people ara all educated, pure
and holy. Senator Blair proposes an
amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States, prohibiting, after A. D.
1900, the manufacture, eale and inn
portation OF distilled alcoholic intoxi-
eating liquors" The debate on Blair's
bill, If the Senate should undertake to
pms sumptuary lsws, will be rich.
There are dozen Senators ia the
United States Senate to whom
colfee is an abomination, and
they will propose an amendment
prohibiting the importation OF
coffee after A. d. 1900. Another
Senator will propose an amendment
placing an embargo on morphine,
which destroys q million Of people an
nually. The medical books show by
cuts and scientific facts that coIsets
are as destructive to females as whisky
is TO males. To squeeze the stomach
with a patent corset, just as a cotton
bale is compressed, is as fatal to life rs
liquor squeezed into the stomach, and
some Democrat c Senstorin derision Of
sumptuary laws will introduce an
amendment to Blair's bill to the effect
that after A. d. 1900 corssts shall
neither be- made nor imported into
the United States. Low necked
dresses, the prolific source of disease
aud death, will also be tabooed by a
constitutional amendment after 1900,
Tobacco is the bane oil the American
people, and a clause will be attached to
Blair's bill prohibiting the imporia'
ton, the growth OF tobacco, or tbs
manufacture Of cigars after the close
OF the present century. Az the APPEAI
said few days since, the Republicans
are rapidly drifting into the embrace
OF sumptuary lsws--an Infringement
on the inalienable personal rights o
the citizen, which the National Demo
cratic Convention announced as an in
reference with individual liberty
The people of this land OF freedom
will never permit the Copgress OF the
United States to engage in the bust
meas OF making men healthy by abol
ishing whisky, tobacco and coffee, o
making women prettier and healthier
by prohibiting the use of corsets o
low necked dresses. Such Legislation
does not comport with the Legitimate
functions of a free people, VIII
have some rights which legis
lation can not disturb, among
these the right to eat aud drink an'
wear what they please, to smok
cross vines, leaves or tobacco, as the.
may prefer. Every good citizen ia
vorS temperance; every good citizsl
ought to practice temperance, for TEN
peIauce makes homes happy. Blu
people cannot be made temperate h.
incorporate legislation, a ianaticisr
which would ultimately interfere wit
man aud wife aud see 10 II that boil
we're temperate in all their relations
The silly argument that because Their
are men who drink to excess, whisk,
must be prohibited, is as absurd 6
the proposition to prohibit the sale
food, because 50 many die OF dyspepsi
and gluttouy. The world cannot b
made temperate only by NOR
suasion. Prohibition does nc
destroy the evil; II only change
the methods of use. AS prob
bition does not prohibit, is
not better that the liquor traffic shout
be subject to the restrictions and ta'
alton Of license rather than that bot
: this restraint aud this revenue shoul
. be lost? Were temperance aud rev
. nue. weighed against each other, rev
e nue., however great, would be only
/. tiHing consideration. But the pra
s teal question is, which is the bette
a an open traffic which is taxed or
= secret traffic that is untaxed. Nor
e over, local option is violative Of OF
a form Of government, which is COT