Morris tribune., 1888-07-18
CORRESPONDENCE.
County Option.

County Option.
There ls one question involved IN
this the great leading question:" Is
any license system right?" Is law Q
moral factor? Does any given law,
say against theft. In any way effect
the morals OF the community; or Is it
only an index to the level OF public
sentiment? There Is only onelahsWer;
it il both an index and q factor.
What then? Is the will of the people
the final appeal in matters of morals?
Has community by maj GRITTY vote
the right to approve of anything
say small box, IL they wish? Or Is
there higher tribunal to which 10
take moral issues, and by which TO
Judge OF the aptness Of legislation !!
Every christian man answers that
to God and his nature and Willis the
final appeal.
Now let US be scientific: let us be
logical. The U. S. supreme court
has recently decided that no leglsia-
ture has the right to legalize q wrong
s, B. Smith In the TRIBUNE OF June
9th, was not 80 far astray when ne
said rAfter a candid study OF the
subject, am convinced that it Is my
duty to say no. am satisfied 1t would
be a compromise with an evil"
County option cannot be accepted
by christian man as a substitute for
national prohibition. County option
as a temporary measure has some
points in Its favor, and some against
it. In some places it has proven to
be u help in the right direction; in
other places, as III several counties
In Canada, temperance people have
become disguised with the law, be.
cause of the difficulties In the way OF
enforcing the act; owing to neither Of
the political parties being willing to
be responsible for ITS enforcement.
Where the "Scott act" has been en-
forced it proves that prohibition
does prohibit" ana everywhere the
history of the movement shows the
necessity Of public sentiment crysta-
lyzed into organisation in order to get
the full benefit of the law. A county
option, measure that provided for
proper officers for enforcing the law
to be elected by the same vote by
which the law is adopted, would not
be at the mercy of officials, possibly
elected by the liquor Interest, or of
ficials elected by parties that so far
have not seen fit to squarely take is
sue with the saloon power and SO
ALLEVIATE 1t. 1t is notorious that the
saloon is first saloon and then party
and the man it votes for and the
party it supports it has decided it
can depend on not to hurt it. Where
10 the brewer or saloon keeper that
would give up his business rather
than ieopardise the success Of his
party? And yet temperance people
are asked to pocket their principles
1OF u LlHf0 al I0dSt lOL IAAS oohO va viz
party! For temperance people to ac-
cept local option measure, even for
a time, and vex themselves with an
attempt to enforce it through old
party officials, whisky endorsed, is
to attempt to build up the kingdom
of Christ through agencies of which
satin has approved. The recent Do
minion Temperance Convention, in
Montreal, Quebec has decided in IA
vor of still making effort to adopt
and enforce the Scott Act because of
the good it does In spite Of the diff
culties in enforcing it; and further in
favor of complete organization OF
the temperance electorate, not neces-
sarlly as third party, but to vote
against every man who will not vote
prohibition. It denends on the old
parties now whether there will be a
third party or not. A word or two
more next time.
e, g, p. SANpERsoN.