Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-01-31

to make a bold and honest fight" and
gives rs this as o specimen of his courage
and honesty.
When, l would like TO know, did ever
the whisky power OF this country, make
an honest fight? In every State where
this question has been tested, whether in
the halls of justice, in the Legislature, OF
at the polls they have resorted to bribery,
deceit, perjury and fraud. Nay more, In
many cases they have resorted TO threats
and acts of violence, in order to terrorize
and intimidate the temperance people Of
this land. Yes, make a bold, an honest
fight" and for what?-for the open 81.
loon with all its attendant evils. A bold
and honest fight" in defense of an institu'
ton that is robbing the community OF its
material wealth, bringing poverty and
misery to thousands of homes, filling oul
poor houses, .iails and State prisons, cor
ruptiDg politics and public morals, and
seeking to break down and destroy every
thing that is set for the protection OF so
ciety and the defense of the home and the
State.
The revcrned gentleman tells Us he ii
opposed to the prohibition of the liquor
traffic, and TO justify his position he ap,
peals to the Constitution of the United
States AMI the word Of God. Certainly
this is high authority.
He is opposed TO prohibition because II
interferes with personal liberty, q right
guaranteed by the constitution OF this great
country" Here he falsely assumes two
facts, first, that the prohibition Of the
liquor traffic interferes with the rights o.
citizenship rs guaranteed by the Copstitu'
ton; second, that the traffic il
ardent spirits is a legitimate bust
ness. In regard to the first the gu
preme Court of the United States says
''The right to sell liquors is not one o.
the rights growing ont Of citizenship Of tht
United States. The right to manufacture
drink for ones own use is subject to th.
restriction that it shalt not endanger or AZ
feet the rights of others. II such manu-
iacture does prejudicially affect the rights
aud interests of the community, it follows
that society has the power TO protect itself
by legislation against the injurious conse'
queuces of that business"
la regard to the second assumption, ]
would answer that the same judicial body
has declared the liquor traffic TO be not q
legitimate business, but a public nuisance,
Il save: 1--WE cannot shut ont of view the
fact, within the knowledge of all, that the
public health, the public morals and the
public safety may be endangered by the
general use of intoxicating drinks; nor cap
we ignore the fact established by statistics
accessible TO every one, that the disorder,
pauperism and crime prevalent i'll the
country are, in n large measure, directly
tr6ceable to this evil"
The reverend gentleman referred to the
decision of the Supreme Court in his arti'
Gle aud asked this question: "Who Is the
European attorney-at-law that declares
Prohibition constitutional" Certainly this
question is an insult to the intelligence OF
every American citizen. We are not liv-
ing in Europe. but in America, under the
American flag and the American Govern
ment. Our fathers framed the Constitu'
ton of this country, and their SONS are
able TO interpret it. We do not need the
opinions of foreign experts on the subject
of constitutional law. We do not need
the opinions of foreign experts on the sub
iect of constitutional law. The gentle,
man has forgotten that he left Germany
some years ago and that he is now living
under the American Republic and in the
Commonwealth of West Virginia.
Bat again, he appeals to the word OF
God, aud attempts to prove that prohlbi.
ton is in conflict with the scripture. And
the good brother displays as much wisdom
here as in his criticism OF the Supreme
Court. He tells US that God has set be-
fore man good and evil aud has gwen him
power to choose for himself; and that he
allows him to pursue his own course with,
out restraint" And from this he con-
cludes that no man should be denied the
right to sell liquor, that any legal restraint
at this point is q breach of the divine plan
that men should be allowed to do as they
please, no matter how their conduct may
effect the interests of others. In reply Ia
this | need only say that this is not Gods
plan; nor is il the teaching of the Bible.
A man may do wrong if he will, but 1.-The
way Of the transgressor IL hard" ami
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall lie
reap" God executes his law, aSd IN
every case the wrong doer must suffer the
penalty.
But the reverend gentleman insists that
men must not he restrained Ivy the law,
but every man must be left TO follow his
own conscience and reason. This IS an
archism; it does away with all law and
o~verturns all government. This ~ The
same theory advocated by the men who h
short time ago, in tue city OF Chicago, ex-
plated their crime upon the gallOws. Fol-
low this theory and we have no farther use
for the workhouse, Jail or peniIeatiary.
We should have crime without punish
ment, and society without protection.
Gods plan is, first 10 prohibit sin and then
to punish il.
But Mr.. Uifert assures us that He has
Nowhere in the Bible prohibited the use
Of strong drink, except in the case OF
priests, etc. Certainly the gentleman has
not read his Bible much or else he has a
very treacherous memory. What do these
passages teach?-"Look not upon the wine
when it is red. At the last it bite:h like q
serpent and stingeth like in adder. u
Prov. xiii. 81. "Woe. unto him that
giveth his peighbor drinks, tina: puttest
thy bottle to him, aud makest him drunk
en- also. Heb. ii. IL.
This sounds very much like prohibition
both for the drinker and the seller. What
will our friend say TO this and other paral'
lei passages of scripture? The first law
that God made for the government Of man
was ''prohibitory." The entire decalogue
is prohibitory.
The reverend gentleman exhibits such
knowledge of the scriptures and displays
such wisdom and skill in their interpre-
tation a. to deserve recognition Oh the part
of the public. A man OF such superior
knowledge in his profession should receive
the title of d. d., and ! have no doubt II
the saloonkeepers Of this city had it in
their power they would confer upon him
the degree at once.
The gentleman informs Us that the en-
forcemeut Of the preeent laws regulating
the traffic in this State is the surest and the
only way of dealing with this business, and
he assures US that if this is done the mil.
lenium will dawn at once upon d city.
Hear what he says: "If these gentlemen
who favor temperance would work for the
enforcement of law, we can assure them