The Republican journal., 1886-06-10
Prohibitory Matters in Rhode Island.

Prohibition in Rhode Island" Lying over one
week the article was printed May 9th. 1t was
my object to furnish something of interest to
the majority of your readers. For about nine
years | have seen the journal regularly. and
the wide scope of carefully edited matter
appearing in its columns has commanded con-
tinuous interest in my home. My weekly and
monthly invoices of literature comprise publi-
cations from six commonwealth. Outside of
my own state, the fayorite newspaper receive
is your Journal. My opinion of its merits has
been previously recorded and need not be here
repeated. In my contribution of April last |
acted upon this principle: If newspaper
treating principally of Maine affairs SO well
holds the attention of a Rhode Islander, i'm
Maine readers. and especially one of so great
prominence as a constitutional amendment
incorporating prohibition. Writing in RAM
bling way l recorded the passage of the first
addition our State Constitution has received in
- years, and gave some views on both sides Of
the question, employing the third person
throughout. My initials and place of residence
completed the whole. Since that time. having
contributed by request more than twenty times
the amount of material for leading publica-
ton, ! have settled back into my old course of
reading from rather than writing for others.
In pursuing this policy | was reading a letter
from your correspondent in Berin-i>suc of
May 21th-when my eye caught the initials to
which | ALWAYS answer repeated within two
inches space in the adjoining column. Now,
people less philosophical than myself would
have dropped at once the subject in hand. and
commenced to inquire what it was all about.
didn't: on the contrary the Letter from Ger
many was peruSed to the dash which came too
soon for 50 interesting communication. Let
me diyrcss slightly at this point. | resent with
warmth any msinuation attributing hypocrisy
and that the Immediately preceding lines may
not expose me to the charge, | have a little
confession to make. had in my pocket. while
50 placidly retaining compo>ure. 4 letter re-
cciyed but a few days befor. from friend in
Worcester. Mass, who is an active member of
an old-cstabishcd firm doing an extensive
business. Among his acquanlanccS the gentle
man in question has quite Il reputation for liter
AIRY attainments. Where the thermometer of
my contribution to your pape.' registered in
the atmosphere of his opinion may best be
shown by making an extract from his letter.
which can he done without too far violating the
Sanctity of private correspondence.
THE article you wrote for the Maine paper
was so satisfactory. and so entirely III accord
with my views that intended at once to write
thanking you for its publication This whole
queStion-of the sale and Use of liquor>-iS SO
shrouded in radical>m and fanaticiSm that it
is a great pleasure to read a sensible article on
IT. Our city of Worcester is without licensed
places for the sale of liquor since Nav l>t. and
our ncighboring town of Millbury. which is
usually Il quiet and peaceful place of abode. is
made hideou> by ten or twelve saloons. and the
lowest of our people who use rum are going
down there and returning with their brains and
pockets full of it,
Now. Mr.. Editor, don't pretend to deny
that such a conmrndaton helped an eqllabe
mind to preserve its serenity; but do maintain
that without such tali>man my wonted peace
of mind would have remained comparatively
und>turhed until the column was finished.
Franknc>S comprl> the statement that if anoth-
er endorsement was anticipated. the opening
would soon d>Sipate such an idea. lie (pos>i-
bly, am wrong in the gcnder) dates the burn
ing message, stockton, May H." The Postal
Guide tells me that 10 states have such a post
office but presume that Stockton. Me-. is in
tended. Well, on concluding an examination
of the cannonadc against target principally
reared by the hand that pierced it. | was of
the opinion that some aggravating truths must
have appeared in my letter to elicit 50 lengthy
reply. More than this my intention of re-
porting in good time the second act of our State
Temperance Drama was accelerated slightly.
for desired to add response to :. A. Rem
dell'> criticisms before they grew cold. In do
ing this the modeSty of the third person will be
changed for the first, though no attempt will be
made to assume a controversial attitude. SIM
pie rccitations Of facts will answer my purpose.
The first in order. them is that am not rum
man, and am not in favor of nor in league with
the rum element; therefore, do not "drop III
have secured abundant and better talent to give
them points. a> has been realized since my writ
ing. The Local Editor of the journal. other
friends in Belfast, and all who recognized my
initials could have set the doubts of my captous
critic in stockton at rest on the score Of my
temperance principles. For his benefit will
say that in the thirteen years have been a vo-
ter my balIotng has invariably been against IL
cense. I also voted for the constitutional
amendment we have just adopted. and hope to
prohibition enforced. But | have never
considered myself Il Temperance advocate" as
the words are interpreted by my Stockton cen
>or and understood generally.
In my former letter dispa>sionate statements
We're made of important matters. | did not
quote statistics; am not used to it. We have Il
reverend gentleman in this state who does that
for us-at salary of $1,000 per annum. Sta
tisticS though familiar to all, are useful i'll their
place. They do not, however. comprise the
major part of what may be said on the temper
ance question. am glad my Stockton friend
partly supplied important an omission. |
am sorry he occupied so much space that might
be devoted to these timc-honored adjuncS in
censuring and misconceiving my abandoned
views. Musicians do not produce the best re-
suits by constantly manipulating one string, or
key. or octave. Counter effects sometimes as
Sist in attaining harmonious clmaNes. Shrewd
lawyers and successful clergymen often turn
from their main propositions with profit to in
vestigate what may be said on the other side.
Considering the arguments an opponent may
offer should help one to place his feet more Sc
curely on tenablc ground. History teaches us
that temporary-and even permanent-'aban
donment of views" has assisted wonderfully in
achieving progress in this and other countries.
Thus in my initial remarks on prohibition |
yenturcd in tentative mood outside of some old
ruts. may have been mistaken in selecting Il
less-beaten path, but it will take greater dstor-
ton of my motives than any yet seen to con-
vince me of error.
/ regard it as fact that temperance men
and women must rely more upon moral strength
than legal measures to he successful in advanc-
ING prohibition, and that a law which prohibits
in name Only-in other words, free rum-is
much worse than high license laws enforced as
they have been in this state. 1t must be all
mitted that weI-tligested law is terror to the
criminal-when it is enforced at all other times
it is robbed of its majesty No law can enforce
itself; public opinion behind well-meaning
officials can only make headway. Few are the
officers that will remain Jealous when their
presumed supporters abandon them. Those
H..