Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-08
Cur Philosopher ON Prohibition
Again.
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10 INC EuuOF " INC D'oP~sI"'
Once more we would say q word
about the anti.liquor movement.
High taxation, or what is nearly eq1al
to prohibitory license-tax, is thought
by some to be the best remedy for the
LIQUOR evil. We are not even in favor
of this view, though more plausible
than some others. To do so you must
recognize the right Of disproportionate
taxation that will always keep society
in a state of eruption. This is getting
to be an old world, and it is strange
that such power for good has not been
vigorously applied before. Then 1t
should be remembered that we may
only apparently exterminate the liquor
vice, as it will come back again to be
killed over and over, and at last all
hands will get tired Of tie job, and turn
the incorrigible wretches over to their
fate that we have probably rendered
more excruciating to them and to SUI
ceeding generations to behold.
All agree that liquor is good in its
place but it is the abuse of it, say
they, that we wish to cure, and that
we had letter have none at all ii We
can't remedy the abuse of it.
Such doctrine would swamp us all,
for we in so many ways abuse Divine
law that reformers might be inclined
to rebuke the forbearance Of Goodness
in suffering us to 90 on. The grand
est exuberances Of fanatical reforms
ton of mankind have time and again
failed. Even great armies to the Holy
Land have failed of their mission.
Oh, but an enthusiastic spirit has
seen the poor; has been down
in the midst of their squallor and
shame; has seen their children
crying for bread, and all because
of their fathers and mothers
love of liquor. Love of liquor What
a power is that word love! If faith
moveth mountains, what cannot love
do? Who Of US can quench this firein
the soul for that it loves?
We have Divine assurance that we
shall always have the poor with US, aud
it matters little with the poor how be
it that they are so. Misery may not
be all our own making; but the good
Samaritan dressed the wounded by the
wayside, leaving judgment to the law.
And so be would nourish the ahungered
children. who would receive him glad
ly,) rather than 90 after the fathers who
tpursued by our present reformers)
would become more and more perverse
in consequence of the coercive mot
loring) spirit Of their labors. But
there are those who say, We now
have the law to do this thing.
But we differ with them. The law is
you can sell liquor if you have a
license, but it also says a majority in
a town or county may decide whether
there shall be such license or not, and
if the majority is against license none
will be granted and no liquor will be
sold in bsr-rooms. But it does not pro-
hibit our buying liquor, or making it,
or drinking it, and the plan of refor-
nation only amounts to obstruction of
the convenience of getting it. This will
be harrassment that will provoke the
persistent opposition Of the other side,
who will certainly feel that the votes
polled for the measure were nothing
but hostile infringement of their per-
sonal liberty and privileges Of citizen
ship. And If it takes 81 week
to get the liquor required be-
fore prohibition you only make
it take go a week after the change,
for you will have handled your neigh
Dor violently, as he would conceive,
land as you ought to know,) and he
will be just so much more determined
to have his liquor, regardless even Of
the "cry of the child for bread" and
he will pay away the 81 week instead
the 81 for it. This would be mon
strous advance in wrong, but you pro-
hibitionists would have to shoulder the
responsibility oft, and the child would
tell you so. Many good motive makes
a botch of its work-as would be the
case here-for without thinking of the
effects Of your doctrines you have med
died with your neighbors' foibles-or, if
YOU please, vices-and made them
worse and caused the father or
mother towards whom if kindly and
charitable influence had been exerted
a reformation might have followed) to
drink to death, till their final execu-
toner might not in mercy come too
soon. Besides. you even make the
parent love the children less by cult.
waiting animosity in him toward every.
thing on earth but liquor. OF course
this sort Of drinkers are those you
desire most to reform, but they are the
ones for whose good you will utterly
fail. / care not what your claimed re-
suits in Maine or elsewhere may be-
Let those you cannot convince or dis
suade twho willy have their liquor ant
, love it in peace. Hard as this appears
, to you it is quite the best, as well o:
, the most merciful doctrine to them.
To some of the old sober-sided yir
/ einiaDs this prohibition importation
, from Maine looks like sort of spirit
ropping business, so often entertaining
to some people Of that section. Thel
our anti.liquor friends are promised ait
/. in the visitation Of the Salvation Army
with its horns and drums. Indeed, tn
| movement will possibly take the shap
:. of q professed commission by Divin
) authority, as spirits Of fanaticism ar
i. apt to do, to enlist credulity.
r In conclusion, we would say tina
type Of character that displays Chart,
a toward . fellow.man in all things an
{ with Inconsistencies of excellence Q
: :. self bestows kindness on others is tn
= most virtuous and noble attribute q
{ the human heart. With charity 70
a others, how can we offend . brc
!. Their? Without it We are IS nc
4 thing but emptiness. Charity
I the only lens through which "
0 can rightly view the inirmitiss {
o others. A Christian philosopher, o
seeing a fsllow.creature appreachiu
d the gallows, remarked: "Just Ii
. same might be my lot but for the graC
9 of God." And the great and goo
0 have never relied on any other NEAR