The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-04-06
BLUE SPRINGS, NEB,. March 25th 1889

BLUE SPRINGS, NEB,. March 25th 1889.
To THE CARBON ADVOCATE.
Although not a resident now of Pennsyl-
vanla, still am deeply interested in her
welfare. Prohibition will bring immortal
veal to the Rrard old Commonwealth and
very materially allay if not extinguish the
woes engendered by che drink trafic. No
sane mind IL it be conscietious will deny that
this business is cause involving life,
health, prosperity, peace, property, morals
and the general welfare. 1t cannot be re-
regulated-no evil can. The past proves
this. Since it is a curse il is wrong. end
no license high or low imposed upon il will
make 1T right. If the business is right no
law should interfere with restrictions or
impose burdens Of tax-Anybody should
be allowed to engage in the business with
tho freedom of a grocer or cry-goodk
merchant. License from the government
is PBINfA FACIE evidence that it is wrong
The government for q compensation, in a
so called matter Of expediency, allows the
nefarious traffic TO exist and prosper
There is every reason for prohibition-for
the saloon system corrupts politics. debsses
the citizen, and lie an enemy of civilization,
and the worst enemy of religion and our
American home. Therefore the Amend
ment should carry in Pennsylvania;
shall now meet some of tbs untenable
objections to prohibition of you anonym-
GUS correspondent "Videx."
He says prohibition is anti-christisn
&c. First let me say that the tiniest
school boy or girl OF christian parents knows
this to be an untruthful statement.
Second, is it not a fact that all Jealous
advocates of prohibition, with scarcely an
exception, are praying men and women
espousing the prohibition movement from a
clearly christian standpoint, having en-
listed in the war to establish prohibition
because taught from Holy Writ that we are
our brothers Keeper" Third, since the
abolition Of Slavery in the q. s. was
prohibition of the liquor traffic is not anti
chistian. Fourth. the liquor traffic is the
mightiest engine Of Satan to hinder gospel
progress and the nen engaged in it az
wholesale or retailers as q class (allowing
rare exception) are frequent violators of
the law-selling clandestinely on the Sab
bath and election days, and day and night
selling to minors and inebriates, legitimate
business runs so far into night as this.
Fifth, If prohibition is pronounced BY its
enemies as anti-christian, we answer on the
above grounds, with Christ every King
dom divided against itself shall not stand"
Mat 1926, 26. Wine brought dishonor up
on poor denled Lot; caused priest and
prophets to fall, King Solomon refers to it
entailing woe and sorrow in Prev. 29-29,
3d. 81, 80, 33. Christ alluded to it as a
symbol of wrath. The whiskeY and beer
of to-day are ten fold more delsorious than
the alcoholic tonics of bible days. We
have not time in this article to dwell upon
the unfermented or non-intoxicant wines of
bible times.
Pile says "Prohibition in spirit is anti
American &c." and actually pulls at the
boot ear tops of "old sumptuary," and is is
wonder he didn't prate about ''personal
liberty" Personal liberty is right and
American if it does not exceed civil liberty,
civil liberty the courts have decided to
be constitutional, and the kind of personal
| libertythe devotees Of King Gamebrimus
sing so sadly over dare not conflict with
civil liberty. Constitutional Prohibition
does not interfere with mans eating and
drinking in his own home. A mans pri-
vate appetite and interests the state does
not arrogate to control, as "Videx', as
sumes,-it is the public liquor traffic insti-
tuition that trespasses on the citizens civil
liberty and disturbs public good and public
welfare that the proposed prohibitory
amendment designs to suppress In order
that the greatest public good many insure
to the public citizen, and the coming gen.
Grafton enjoy such fulness of civil liberty
never before possible aside of this deplorable
relic Of barbarism.
| 3-He says prohibition is unnecessary"
wonderful wise-acre. l wish had time
to quote from Judge Noah Davis, of N. Y.
or Judge Agnew, of your own state. Let
the jails, penitentiaries, asylumns and out
ragged mothers and children answer this,
let prohibition Iowa and Kansas speak,
whose correction houses have less percen-
tage of inmates to-day than any time under
dursnce of the rup traffic.
| 4-"Impracticabe'' the fools that
advocate this 90 to Kansas and Iowa for
enlightment. The governors of these states
say the law is daily growing success. En-
forcement is coming gloriously and tri-
umphantlY to the front, Judge Agnew says
it will be enforced and then adds: "The
example of Penna will not be lost on sister
states. Already the wave of temperance Ia
rising high everywhere, and state after state
will be swept intO the harbor of prohibition
by the tide. Then the Constitution Of the
U. S. will be amended to suit the general
good"
5-"Makes hYpocrites' Il draw 4 breath
Of relief and say fan me with feather"
Christ's gospel then tends to make hypo-
critics also, from the same mode of reason.
ing. Laws prohibiting" larceny, murder
&c, therefore make laW-breakers and hYpo.
critics. This last is the crOwning argument
after Oidex of the ''batch," and gives him
the feather for his cap. There is one thing
notice opposing prohibition. does, il
puts man defending the liquor traffic SC
much to shame, or makes him so fal
'hypocriticar" that he fears to give his true
name. All honor to the proposed amend
ment. 1 hope it will pass-all eyes are
centered upon Penna. just now to see If she
will set a noble example for her sister states
to follow. WM. CRAIG.
| tn Whom Il Nav Concern