Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-07-18
"A minnesota Experiment.

One of the most significant facts OF
the day is the attention paid by law
making bodies and 10y society in gen
'eral TO the temperance question. a.
considerable part OF all that il said on
the sub ect is ill-consided and not 81
little OF the legislation is ill-advised-
hut this continuous discussion is a
present benefit and hopeful augu ry.
A universal conviction OF the enOp-
nous burden which drunkenness i'm
poses is the first essential step toward
relief, aud we think it safe To say THAI
conviction upon this point has spread
further, uring the last ten years THAI
in century previous. Tens of thou
sands of persons w.o are not in the
haAit of troubling themselves with sta
tistics, and who are perhaps incapable
of close reasoning, have had con-
seriousness of the huge waste inflicted
BY the liquor traffic somewhat sud-
denly "bOrnc in upon Them" MS the
theological phrase was.
But beyond this, and in spite of
many unfair appeals To prejudice and
mnch discreditab!e manipulation OF
facts, the intellectual as we'll as the
intuitive apprehension OF the truth has
wOderfully developed. An impressive
proof, of this is seen, from our point OF
view, in the recent history of the Pro-
hibition movement The frequent re-
jections of the imaginary panacea
within few years have not been
brought about by corrupt agencies, or
10 blind impulse. but constitute IL delib-
crate and intelligent retreat from po-
sitions which experience has proved
to be untenable We do not mean
everywhere and forever untenable, but
untenable under given circumstances
and conditions. No popular verdict is
perfect mirror,Of public opinion, but
the recent vote in Massachusetts is
generally conceded to represent the
honest belief of very large majority
OF the citizens of that state.
c0 all the efforts lately made to
diminish the evils Of intcmperance
none is so interesting as the novel,
though not original, experiment
which Minnesota is about to try.
While one school ,Of reformers Is con
stantly developing new zeal in the
attempt to prove that drunkenness is a
disease. Minnesota formally declares
that it is Il crime, and imposes Il fine
or Imprisonment for the first two
offences, and for every subsequent
offense imprisonment for not less than
sixty nor more than ninety days.
This experiment is likely to produce
some curious results. aSd is worth a
more fe riess and efficient trial than it
will probably have. 1t ought to be
watched closely by all, and not least
so by those who attribute little or no
moral responsibility TO the drunllard,
for it may be expected TO throw some
valuable light upon their contention.
Moreover. it ought not to provoke
their immediate resentment, for sup
posing that drunkenness is a disease,
it does not follow that it may not be
best treated by heroic measures.
Hysteria is unquestionably disease,
but it is sometimes cured by n shower
bath. and aboard ship a cato nine
tails has been known to produce high
/ Is satisfactory results.
We are not commencing the Mime.
sofa law, but since it Is on the statute
books we hope to see 1t rigidly applied
so long as it remains there. Even more
than most legislation it will depend.
whether for its practical results or its
indirect lessons, upon the impartiality
with which it is enforced. If it is
simply made convenient means OF
putting bibulous and disreputable no.
bodies out of sight, it will not amount
to much in the way either of reform or
OF instruction. But If it is carried out
with AL possible firmness ag inst Of
tenders in every condition OF life, it can
scarcely fail TO produce some results
which will have to be taken into ac-
count in subsequent treatment of tho
problem. Now York Tribune.