Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-01-07


y II is safe to nrcsume that some Of!
Tthc rcadrrs cctttAS4sr1 fBSE.acox AavoAifctA
or had the ease fairly stated TO them
from the standpoint, OF a prohibition.
isl. We copy from the New York
Voice a few first principles. Let cv-
erybody read them:
|, Prohibltory law has relation to
the liquor traffic, From time immcmo-
rial the right of law to regulate, re-
strain or forbid Il traffic has been cx.
ercised. Our tariff laws are based on
that right, All embargocs are Il re-
cognilion Of the right. The laws re-
Iating TO traffic in poisonS, in eXllo-
sivcs, in tainted or adultcratcl foods,
and all sunday laws are in express
declaration That law has the right to
interfere with a traffic which endan-
gers socicty's welfare, and 10 Whatever
degree is necessary tor the public
safety.
2. The evil of intcmpc"ancc are not
CUllllC'l w NV " IiIhCI. NItull IIllI
the drunkard is responsible for his
own degradation and misery; that his
drinking is voluntary act, and his
punishment the penalty of Uaturc-
granting all that, there remains the
fact that the traffic in liquors is Il
source of innumerablc evils and dan.
gers 10 society ut large, which includes
all innocent members AS will as the
guilty ones, aud OF vast burdens upon
all taxpayers, All law owes a debt
Of protection to the wcak-ll!c wo.
men and children when they are
poworlcss to protect lhcmsclyc The
saloon is 4 menioe Is the health and
lives OF these weaker members of So
cicty from which they are poWor,css
adequately to protect themselves.
Their right TO legal protection is rec.
vgnizcd, therefore, by tnc lazy that
makes drunkenness q crime, and sales
TO drunkard' md minors Il crime.
But these Laws, while they recognize
that Eight, are proven wholly made,
qNatC to protect it.
3. When personal liberty infringcs
on personal rights it must be curtailcd.
Al law, every statute framed from the
days of Sinai down, is based on the
truth behind that proposition. 1t is
impossible to grant ,icr light of per-
,nNml liberty wi'h,ut assailiug the
very foundation Ut law, for all law is
II curtaillmcnt OF some mans personal
liberty in behalf of some other mans
personal rights. Personal liberty
means anarrhy-thc abrogalion of all
law No man has II personal right to
do wlIah intringcs ON another man,
personal rights. \ man may with
somc show of reason, claim the right
I" crafty his private appetite tor
d.ink in n way that intcrJ'rs with no
on" rl.r, But he ranno, claim as his
RICH, that, tor ih" sake Of his private
qualification, the law shall lcg .lizc and
l~"Isratc II public traffic ,nnt -intic,s
on others i%ncSlimabir wrong. IIo
may ike tainted meet, and il il agrees
With HIM, he may reasonably claim
the right to cat il; but when he claims
a> II right, II the law shall lcgalizc
and upho' the sale of tainted meat in
pnbI' mart, for the sale of his appe-
tito &C i. going To far. Yet the wine
7 mixers OF TO day are committing
this ab-urdilv continually.
1. No law iorbids the act for the
sake ola man who wants 10 commit
ii but for the sake. %! the man who
would be wrongcd thereby. The idea
that n prohlbiIory law is for the pur-
post Of saving the man who drinks Is
AN entirely wrong idea. Its purpose
l., 10 protect the innocent virlimS of
h's drinking. The law against theft
does not have in view the salvation of
The wOuld-bc theft, but the protection
ct oiliIrS in their property nights, So
Of all laws against yirc. Their object
Is not to keep men ir0m the commits
sion OF sin, but to protect others from
the consequences that would come
from such commission. Here is IN
important distinction between the
province of the law and the province
ofI!r Gospel. The Gospels aim is
/" prevent the commission OF vice pri.
m,rily.t"r the sake Of man who is i'm.
PEELED la H. commission.
), The saloon is not only an effect.
bul a ra,l,r. The very first thing shat
II ,lor> Is 10 present Inducements &c
wee. II Is u continual temptation. II
l. not merely II .ra,cngrr, II, has been
said. removing the weak, vicious an,l
rorrup, from society. but it is ilsclI
the cause and creator. in II very large
: degree, of their weakness. virinusncss
) and corruption. II takes the DO,
. without II taste for liquor, aud by it,
%insidious attractions plants the Sec
OF an appetite thai finally masters hi.
will, deadcns his affections and siill,,
his conscience. |, is more than Il con,
duit OF evil; II is fOnutain NJ well
and out of II comc vice, crime. disOl
der, nauperi>m, insanity. iIiory. dis
eases and political corruption iha, dc
trats j%nsticc and makes law n farce
dcbaichcs public conscience an,
threatens cvsry institution fonmlc,
, on The intelligence and virtue Of thl
masses.
In view OF these considerations, IN,
moral right rs well MS the legal ri.h
ct HE prohih;tory law seem. 10 us n
j. uuassailablc and u, obvious as that "a
y any law ever put on the statute book.
i u iuicci> absolutely no new principl
into Jurisprudence II is III no pros
er sense n revolution. hut an evil,
ton instead. Every court IN the nn
a non brfurc which the question Ia
come. intluliuy Tim SuNrou,, f,,,,,