The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-07-13

10 NtlAAN'ANs t'llNA many VI WV iNNN'2oA
ties and luxuries bear taxation rs
well rs pay revenue. Hence with !
such statistics (and they are numer-
ous) | feel justified in claiming
there would be no falling off of the
revenues under wise and a well
executed prohibition law. But Mr..
Smith asserts there would be, so let
him prove it and undeniable proof
would be, to put it to a full test by
adopting prohibition. We trust Mr..
Smith will see the point and get all
the friends of rum and the temper
ance people to put it to the proof
here, so that our eyes may be fully
open to the revenue item of this
great question, without having to
rely upon doubtful foreign statistics.
We will help you, Mr.. Smith, to get
up this positive proof.
1t should be allowed to run five
years before making up the definite
statistics, to have further actions
upon, for, or against, rum revenue.
Not wishing to pass this vital
question with so few words lest it
may not be put to the proof in the
way | suggest, [ will ask who pays
this $500, 900 revenue now? Inmy ig-
norance | had supposed that it was
paid by the citizens of these islands.
But the way Mr.. Smith puts it, if
the rum revenue was stopped it
would "saddle every soul in it (this
small country( with ten dollars more
taxes than they now pay" Just as
though they did not pay this revenue
now, but it was paid by some outside
philanthropist. This statement we
think wrong.
Mir. Smith has not placed the loss
or gain on the peoples rum bill of
these islands large enough if prohi-
bition ever goes into effect. We
place it thus:
Revenue ................S5OO, 900
First cost. ........ ...... 100000
Importers profits. ....... $4,000
Retailers profits ....... 200, 1000
We presume some of these items
are under -estimated--not having
statistics at hand, but they are
large enough for our purpose.
We see by this that over one mil
lion of dollars in cash are expended
every two years by the people of
these islands for rum, and no good
results to point to for justification.
Without supporting the Government
by the degradation of its people is a
good result which Mr.. Smith thinks
it is or he would not urge it kept up.
Moreover the loss of energy and by
idleness as well rs the loss on the
poorest quality Of services rendered
by laborers debauched by rum, are
all losses TO be set down against the
rum traffic, also the moral losses.
The misery engendered, the pow
erty suffered, the disgrace endured,
the violence committed, the costs of
courts in their prosecutions of rum
criminals, and the maintenance of
asylums and prisons for their pun
ishment, are all TO be credited to
rum as so much loss to the COM
munity.
Mr.. Smiths claim that ! of our
people are in favor of the rum traffic
is too far from the truth to be
noticed. He objects to our claim
ing temperance as part OF Christi
anity. Then sneeringly gives us a
sample of Christianity as displayed
by Trinity Church of New York
that allows upon their immense
estate 7G4 gin mills, and 9G sin
mills of prostitution. These startl-
ing figures show how absolutely
necessary prohibition is, rs that
would shut all the gin mills and
most of the sin mills on the premises
of both saint and sinner. Prohibi-
5 tionists are not responsible for the
: unwise actions of men of professcd
; Christian churches, nor for the acts OF
the rum element that still maintains
itself in Portland while the whole
S State Of Maine outside of two OF
three towns have adhered to prohi-
bition these many, many years, mol
are they responsible that the rum
e clement hired enough ignorant
t voters to restore the 1000 grog
: shops to Atlanta. They wash theil
n hands ofal such disgraceful things,
: and if possible prevent them.
}, Mr.. Smith objects to the prohibi-
c tien weapon being used CHATS the
weapon that made the slave power
: tremble), also their mode of opera
ton, recommends that all weapons
: be laid aside except moral suasion
: He says, educate the general mind
j. to a clear comprehension of the
s necessity of temperance, and YOU
It battle is won." We can see this
y clearly, Mr., Smith, and we can alsC
see that if we turned the water al
It out of the ocean we could go dowI
Is into its depths and gather up tn
y treasures supposed TO lay upon it
bottom. One is about as hopeles
II as the other when, according to MI
Smiths showing, there is an aver
J. age of $50 gin mills and sin mill
i teaching immoral suasion day an
s. night, to one church teaching mora
T. suasion a short time on Sunday
i only. Moral suasion and othe
h weapons have not been abandoned
= os thpv serve tO apitate and SchOC