Smyrna times., 1886-02-10
For the Smyrna Times.
The Prohibition of the Liquor
Traffic.
AN ORIGINAL ESSAY READ BEFORE
THE LYCEUM AT DOWNS CHAPEL
BY JOHN HUTTON.
For the Smyrna Times.

My theme is prohibition. What is
the liquor traffic? 1t is the manufac-
ture and sale of alcohol, or beverages
containing alcohol, to be used as a
common drink. The liquor traffic is
one of immense magnitude. 1t has
vast capital invested and large army
of employees. 1t permeates every State
in the Union and every hamlet in every
State, except where it is already pro-
hibited. The traffic is based and run
upon the principle that the end justi-
fies the means. The end sought is the
enriching of the manufacturer and sell
ler-the means used are such as shall
lay the greatest temptation in the way
of the greatest number, so that men
and women may be robbed of money,
character, position, and even life itself.
The rumseller ignores all moral re-
sponsibility. Like Cain, he hurls de-
fiance even at God Himself, and inso-
lently asks, Am l my brothers
keeper?"
Language, even when used by a
master, utterly fails to depict the terri
BILE and inevitable results of the crime
of crimes-the rum traffic. | make no
apology for saying that this horrible
business ought to be, nay, must and
shall be destroyed. Every instinct of
protection for the individual, the fami-
ly and the State, demand that this
deadly upas tree be cut down.
But the air is already full of pOrtents;
prohibition is in the wind 1t is one of
the issues of the day, and like Banquo's
ghost, it will not down. From the
T frozen North and the sunny South :;
from the cultured East and glorious
West; from all parts of our beloved
country, comes the appeal for prohibi-
ton, and it will continue to be made,
louder and still louder, until its thun-
der tones shall reach and be heard in
the Nations Capitol. and the fiat shall
go forth and the traffic be no more.
A part of the hand writing is already
sen upon the we'll Thu art weighed
in the balance and art found wanting "
"Saw We not the cloud arise,
Little as the human hand;
Now it spreads o er all the skies,
Watering all the thirsty land"
In view then of the magnitude of
this subject let us inquire what are
some of the grounds of hope as to the
manufacture and sale of Intoxicating
drink as a beverave and what are the
best means to be employed in accom-
plishing so desirable an object.
There is hope in the contemplation
of what has been done in the past.
Prohibition has been successful. Wher-
ever and to whatever extent prohibi-
tiOn has prevailed, just in the same
ratio has the curse of drink been
abated.
There is ground of hope in the auda-
cious tyrrany Of the liquor traffic. 1t
rules us with a rod of iron and drives
men either as willing or unwilling
slaves.
The great political parties of this
great country dare not assert their in
dependence, but prOstrating themselves
before the unhOly shrine of King Al
cohol, humbly ask, What wilt thou
have us to dO9" And each year as il
passes, brings demands for more and
still more power; now it is to have the
right not only to sell during all the
| days and nights of the week, but the
sacred hours of the holy Sabbath toe
] AAuob DC DlOobilulCu W ilo llllCA lldl uoN
| Then our children are demanded. The
traffic will brook no limitation.
We have been accustomed to lOOB
upon the people" as supreme and tC
flatter ourselves that US, the peOpl,
rule, but rum rules the United States to
day. When the people become fully
aroused to these facts, as they mus
and will, through the increasing de
mands of the traffic, then will they
( rise in the strength of their manhood
and destroy the monster from off tn,
face of the earth. There is hope il
the fact that the Church is bein;
aroused. as never before, to the terribl,
evils of the traffic. No Conference, o
Synod, or Assembly, or COnv0cad0n, Q
Council of any church, be it prOtestan
or Catholic, thinks of closing withOu
some deliYerance on the question 0
Prohibition. The time was when tn
ministers of all denominations though
it right to drink in moderation, an
not few to excess. Now hut fey
ministers Of evangelical churches cal
be found who would dare advocat
even occasional indulgences, especial,
in America. And the laymen toe
piOus laymen, the backbone and siney
of the church, are tightening thei
aTmOr for renewed and more desperat
conflict,
There is hope in the stand bein
taken by the Christian women of to
day on the side of total prohibition
Let us look for a moment at the or
ganiZatiOn known as the Woman
Christian Temperance Union, an or
ganiZatiOn which is the OutgrOwth 0
the Crusades," a movement that or
iginated in Ohio about fifteen year
ago, and was aimed directly at the sa
loon, but was local, that is, cOnfne,
mostly to the spot that gave it brit
and was lacking in some of the ele
ments of permanence. The w. G. ]
u, on the contrary, has come to stay
1t is as complete 'ap organization a
any in the land, composed of some G
the very best and truest women, an
having at Its head Miss Frances +
Willard, of Chicago, lady of talen
and culture, that make her the equa
with pen or on the platform, with tn
ablest men of to-day, and countin
amongst the rank and file scores {
speakers of no mean repute. Tn
watchwOrd of the association is "Fo
God and home and native land.
Their aim, the total and eternal dc
struction of the rum power. The "
G. T. U. has spread all oyer thea
United States and has a local union i
most Of the cities, towns and eve
hamlets of the land, and all thes
working with united purpose for tn
creation and strengthening of hig
neral sentiment, so that men may M
, only know the right, but do it. The
there are women working under otht
names and forms with the same end j
L view, In fact, ever since the wOme
were last at the cross to sympathi7
with the dying Jesus and first at th
sepulchre to care for and embalm tn
: body of their loved one, woman hf
been first In every grand NOR,
achievement. God bless our mob
women and make them tenfold MOI
a power for blessing and saving Il
world.
Then there is solid ground of hor
) in the promises of God. "GO preaC
my gospel to every creature and 10.
am with you alway, even to the end
the world ;" and again, Whatsoev,
/. We shall ask in my name / will do IL
And lastly, there is unfailing ground
hope in Gods anathema upon q
traffic, "Woe unto him that giyeth b
> neighbor drink, that Rhtteth thy DO
tie to him and maketh him drunke