The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-05-31
AN ESSAY ON PRACTlCABILlTY
OF PROHIBITION.
CONTINUED.
PART III.


dangerous effects of alcoholic drink
upon the physical as well as moral
welfare of the community, we must
come. to the conclusion that we
would be better off without it.
This great and vital question of
temperance is very much akin
to the Chinese question, only the
latter is of more recent date.
For ages, yes, ever since the crea-
ton of the world, the people of al
most all nationalities and cllmes
have been using it. Inch by inch,
foot by foot, and step by step this
hurtful indulgence has advanced,
and as it has spread, the evil and
danger has multiplied in proportion.
Yet we have sat almost indifferently
viewing this pernicious habit grow
ing upon us, till now, after we have
our eyes opened, and this evil is
brought right home to every one of
us, we say let us stop it.
Friends, L think, we have waited
too long. If we consider the enor-
nous proportions this liquor traffic
has assumed, the vast capital invest
ed in it, millions upon millions of
people depending upon its sale, and
both church and state largely sup
ported by it, we must not be sur
prised to find that all peremptory
laws, all sumptuary legislations are
complete failures. They are mainly
so, because, attacking personal
liberty.
The plan of modern temperance
societies is chiefly to stop drink, to
cut off that which the majority de-
mands. l firmly believe that if this
order was reversed, and we would
try and cut off the demand first
rather than the supply, we would be
more successful.
Cut off the demand, the supply
must cease. Let every man in good
health abstain totally, and let every
individual mother preach it, not
from the pulpit nor from the plat
form of the lecture room, but at
HOME!
Ours is q practical, material age.
The majority with their superior
education. with almost daily dis
coveries or invention before them,
with steadily advancing science in
their view, it is not to be wondered
at when they demand to see before
they believe. We must act and
show by our conduct, open and SIN
cere, that we mean what we say,
when we tell them we want to save
them. Not their souls, not their
future existence, of which neither
we nor they know anything, but
their persons, their individuality,
their manhood, their love, their self
respect, and above all, we want to
save them to lead lives which may
tighten the burden of their fellow
brothers.
Sentimentality is largely employed
and with good success with the ma
| jority of men, but it must be of 6
practical kind. 1t must be some.
thing which will appeal to all oul
better moral feelings, through It's
material existence, which we are
able to conceive by the aid of oul
senses.
Something which we can see,
hear, and feel. When we are tolt
that some man has performed 9
sacrifice for another, we are bounC
to admire him. But friends, how
4. much more intense are our feelings
how much stronger our desire to q
and do likewise, when we know this
man, when we have shook his homes
hand, and looked into the depths O
his noble eyes, and have had the
pleasure and pride to call him oul
friend.
One practical scientific lecture
involving both chemical and lnedi
cal principals of this our mu
tual enemy, would convert more
men to the course of TEN
perance than many others, where
the audience is victimized by being
told they are sinners, they are sin
ming and must stop drink to save
their souls. Teach them first tt
save their bodies, the soul will
thrive all right.
1 have spoken of home. Friends
there is no place like it on earth
there is no place in which the in
tiuence is so direct and powerful
and lasting as in this shrine, this
beautiful temple, over which pre-
sides loving mother.
Home, mother and love. OF all
the sweet words in our language
these are the sweetest, and | cannot
conceive man so depraved as moi
to be influenced by them. YOU
will say, "My children are mo-
drunkards; they are brought uE
properly enough" Granted. But
remember that these children viii
become men and add to the number
of those who totally abstain only il
your teachings have been of kind
which are lasting.
Neither you nor |, my friends,
nor yet our children, will live to see
the day when there will be no more
drink; but, through sensible, prac-
tical teachings, through home in
fluence and the aid of loving women
at home, through progress in our