Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-04-27

action OF personal affairs, how much more
necessary must it be for the right conduct
OF national affairs, in which personal. well
fare is so deeply involved? Hence moral
lty ls almost more necessary in politics than
in private affairs; to bo.h. it is, absolutely
essential.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST PROHIBITION.
Nevertheless, one Of the pleas most fire.
quently used against Prohibition is that
tton. That it is possible to urge such q
plea shows US how profoundly the ideal of
politics has degenerated. since the true
Specification of politics is,the application
OF moral principles to the affairs Of
state.
So far from its being true that the moral
character of the temperance question
should exclude it from. politics, it ought,
in so far as the drink question. is state
question, especially commend it for polite
cal solution. But even as things are,
morals cannot be wholly shut out Of poll
tics; for we need and we get laws which
secure at least some kind of outward pub
lie morality, and there exists a public sem
timent which forces legislation to assume
at least a glamour, veneer Of morality.
The very laws against the buying and
selling OF votes are in the first place due
to moral considerations. II morality is to
be counted outside of politics, what would
become Of international relations and the
sanctity of obligations and treaties? Open,
indeed, to improvement as international
relations are, lightly as obligations are
held, badly as treaties are kept, yet the
fact that they are as good as they are is
due to the general acceptance of their
moral basis, to the general recognition Of
the supreme principle OF Justice. and the
mutual acknowledgment by nations Of mu-
tual claims on these grounds.
Therefore every man who advances the
plea of the dissertation of. politics with
morals as a. reason against prohibition
helps. whether he knows it or not, to I'M
dermine the very foundations OF morality
and state.
Now let us deal in brief with the other
most prevalent objections made TO proni-
bition. These may be cited and treated
categorically as follows
l. Moral suasion is the right method for
coping with this evil.
2. Revealed religion is opposed to, pro-
hibition.
3. Prohibition would be- violation of
personal liberty.
4. Prohibition is not practicable and
does not prohibit.
S. Law cannot go in advance of public
sentiment and be effective.
6. Public sentiment is not ripe for pro-
hibition.
Z. We must reach itstep by step.
l. Ii moral suasion were rightly under
stood the moral suasion plea would be
perfectly true one, so far as the securing
Of prohibition law is concerned, though It
would mot cover the point OF the enforce
ment of such law. Moral suasion means
influencing with a good purpose for "a good
end. Any fair effort to influence and con-
vince, short Of compulsion, comes there
fore within the province of moral suasion,
in this matter OF the drink problem, pro-
ceeds logically along the line Of persuasion.
argument. and example straight, to the.
ballot-box. lApplause.l
For ii it is right and duty to abstain
and seek to induce others to abstain from
the drink, it is as clearly a right and duty
to vote and to try to induce others to vots
against the traffic. Indeed, by voting
against the traffic we are simply putting in
exercise toward the state. exactly the same.
kind of effort which we,have used, in try
ing to persuade the individual in the mar
rover personal field. In, the case Of the
individual we have argued face to face; in
the case OF the state We have presented
and pushed the same arguments by means
OF the ballot, the accepted medium for
carrying information of the. citizens. will
to.the ear Of the state.