The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-02-03

$1.5O A YEAR.
of temperance. Since It is right,
fair and necessary that this evil
should be removed.
Is II possible to remove It? That
Is but another way Of asking is this
country able to protect its peoples
II It Is, 1t should do 1t; II not, It
should seek help. But who will
say that it is unable to protect and
defend? No, and its ability is not
questioned. Government is a com.
pact between rulers and ruled, i'm.
plying protection from the one and
obedience from the other; and the
one is as much under obligation TO-
protect rs the other to obey. The
citizen is punished when he fails to
obey; the Government, whether
punished or not, is guilty when it
fails to protect.
Who can entertain a reasonable
doubt about the ability 10 remove
this evil; who knows that there
are ten million church members in
the United States? or that mum.
Der I suppose there will be at least
two and quarter million voters:
there is q force that can hold the
balance Of power and secure a ma
jority on any question. The power
is there most assuredly, and God
will hold us responsible for Its use.
But it is said that: we must not
drag this holy cause into politics.
Why? What is politics?' The sci.
ence Of government. Thenit is the
PROVENCE Of that science to teach
us how to govern them well, and
in order togovern well distractions
have to be removed BY legislative
enactment, and legislative enact
ment is secured by vote, and the
wise arrangement Of votes belongs
to the science Of government, and
the science Of government 10 poll
tics; therefore, II we are 70 have
prohibition, will any one tell me
how we are to have It aside dom
apolit ics9 swell ". -
1AI wish 70 rfde on the railway cafs,
but I wish to ride on them detached
from the engine" without the en-
gine there won't be much riding,
and without politics there won't be
much prohibition.
But why should this all-import-
ant and vital question be denied q
place in the political arena-or why
should it not be made a political is
sue? What is it that gives any
question the right to be made po-
litical issue? Its importance to
the well-being Of the Common.
wealth; then; what issue is there
before the public today that is not
completely overshadowed by the
question Of Prohibition? OF what
importance is "Civil Service Re.
FORM" or "Silver Coinage" OF
"Tariff for revenue only"
compared with this far.reaching,
tremendous evil. Those other
questions are doubtless important
in themselves, but here is ques-
; tion which touches Society at ev-
cry point; crime, pauperism, luna
cy, neutrality-suspicious. moral, So
cial, fiscal and sanitary affected by
it, and yet we are told that it must
not be dragged into politics.
Does Prohibition prohibit? Most
certainly it either prohibits or
greatly diminishes the evil, when
it is supported by a majority, and
the majority that honestly enacts
can enforce Prohibition. But the
question for US as Christians is not
to sit down and question whether
! it will succeed completely or not,
but have we done our part? If we
have, the evil may not be entirely
remedied, but we have clear con.
science.
This fearful, Omnipotent STUN.
bling block is In your brothers. way
fyou leave it thus you are respon.
sible; ifyou are true to your God
and Your fellow man you try and
remove it. How? Talk it; pray
it; vote 1t out. Do you say, ave
cannot vote it out for neither ol
the political parties will make 1t an
, issue;" then, If moi, create or follow
. q party that will. You cannot vote
> against your party? Remember
, you are q Christian first, and then
q partisan. In the Judgment you
will not be asked whether you vot.
l ed for the Republican or Democrat
. ic party, but you will be held re
? spOnsible for failing to remove the
!, stumbling block out of your broth
ers way. Brethren, the only safe
way for you to decide how you shall