The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-09-23
For the Episcopal Methodist.
Prohibitory Legislation.
DOES PROHIBITION PRonIBrr. =
BY REV. VIM A. HARRIS, D. D.

DOES PROHIBITION PROHIBIT. .
BY REV. VIM A. HARRIS, D. d.
Dear Bro. Boyle With your permission
we propose to consider very briefly some OF
the principal objections which are so fire.
qIently urged against all laws prohibiting
tne sale and use Of intoxicating liquors.
Insorder to be brief, we will notice now but
one of these objections
First. that Prohibition does not prohi-
bit. In other words, it is alleged that these
laws are constantly violated or in some way
evaded. that ii spite of all prohibitory
laws, the evils of intemperance, in large
measure still exist-and that Prohibition
does not prohibit. For these reasons it
is claimed that 'sall such prohibltory laws
should be abolished, and that all legislation
on this subject should cease"
Now, if this objection is good as against
all laws designed to arrest the evils of
drunkenness, it is equally good as against
all laws enacted to suppress all crimes,
denied that every law on our statutes
against every species of crime and misde-
meanors is violated. We have the most
stringent laws against stealing, yet steal
ing is not arrested Wehave laws against
gambling, yet men will gamble. We have
laws against duelling, still duels are fought
and the law never enforced. We have laws
against SANDER and libel, yet these offences
are OF common occurrence. We have laws
against swindling and forgery, yet these
laws in thousand ways are openly VIC
lated. We have laws against murder with
the awful penalty of death, still murders
are committed and murderers, whose
hands are red with the blood of their vic
Tins, are now skulking in darkness or
walking in the light of day unmolested. In
every paper we read, one is shocked with
the painful recital of the daily commits
sion Of all sorts of crimes and offences
against the laws Of the land In word
every law in our civil and criminal code,
is to greater or less extent violated. Eve
ry law enacted for the prohibition of
crimes and felonies of whatever kind, fail
in a great measure to prohibit these crimes
and felonies. In spite of all law, murder,
gambling, swindling, forgery, assault and
battery, all sorts of crimes against the
peace and dignity.of the Commonwealth"
in every State, and in every nation of the
! world, are constantly occurring. It may
be justly said that all these laws with ref
erence to the crimes they are designed to
prohibit, that in every case Prohibition
does not prohibit Just as prohibitory
laws designed to prohibit the sale of intox-
icating liquors in a measure fail to accom-
plish this purpose, exactly so do all other
laws for the suppression of other crimes
fail in measure to accomplish their pur-
pose. And yet no sane man will contend
for moment that our criminal laws should
be abolished because in defiance of all these
laws crimes are still committed. For it
is an automatic truth, that if every law,
however wise and good, must be abolished,
because it is defective to the extent that
it is violated or evaded, then and therefore
every law in all the civil and criminal
codes Of the civilized world should be abol-
ished or repealed. All FLAWS, however just
in principle and perfect in form, prove de-
fectivein execution. In this sense no one
claims perfection for single one of the
laws Of our criminal code-and the same
imperfection which obtains in the enforce
ment of criminal laws, we are free to con-
ole >fo; ;,,4 no e. -
prohibitory laws touching the evils of in
temperance. But this imperfection in
the enforcement of all prohibitory laws
constitutes no reason why they should be
stricken from our statutes. If it does,
then as we have tried to show, every other
law in every code of the world for the sup
preston of crime should be abolished All
this is self evident. Then why make this
objection against all laws for the suppress
sion of drunkenness, when the same OBJ
lection obtains against all other laws for
the suppression of crime? Why make
this objection apply only to the all wise
and just legislation against this foe and
destroyer of all human peace and happi
ness ? In fact, we are surprised that an
objection so feeble should be raised in the
public press and in our halls of legislation
The great question is not does ''Prohibi-
tion prohibit, :" but is prohibition" de-
manded as all other laws are demanded for
the public veal, for the suppression OF
crime and the preservation of law and Or
der ? Is it demanded by our Christian
civllization-by the welfare Of society-by
the conservation of public morals-by ends
of good government-by the claims of re-
ligion ?-all Of which are antagonized and
imperiled by drunkenness.
Let the enemies of Prohibition answer
these questions, and not seek to divert the
public mind from the real issue by raising
objections not germane to the subject-as
that which we have just considered that
is, "Does prohibition prohibit 7"
In our next communication we may no
tice a second and graver objection to Pro-
hibition which is made as the stronghold |
of our politicians and statesmen, who
made war against what they are pleased to
term "Sumptuary Laws
White Sui. Springs, W. Va, Aug. 4.
Malaria.
Malaria was formerly considered as a
miaSm, limited to the exhalations engen-
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