Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-11
NOT ON THE FENCE.
Rev. E. C. Hughes Leaves No Doubt of His
Position on the Amendment Issue by
Pointing Out Some Others.

Rev. E. C. Hughes Leaves No Doubt of His
Position on the Amendment Issue by
Pointing Out Some Others.
Rev. E. C. Hughes, of the Trinity NJ. E.
Church, preached on the subject, "on the
Fence" with regard to the Constitutional
amendment, yesterday morning. He said:
The old leaders of wrong doing tell US that it
is no use to try to prohibit wrong doing by pro.
hibition. Men who read history and men who
help to make history know better. 1t is true
we should not undertake to change present
and existing law without serious consideration.
1t is equally true we should not sustain law
without serious consideration. When time
and public sentiment change, patriotic men
should change. A true man does not join an
issue as he joins church, for time and eternity.
What is a legitimate issue? 1t is voluntary
association of citizens of any Commonwealth
for the enactment of law which they deem for
the best interests of the majority of the people.
We are sometimes called upon to vote for
mean man because he is pledged to righteous
issue; but we are never called upon to vote for
an unrighteous ISSUE That would be an insult
to the lowest conscience.
Old observers who are supporters of the high
license law are opposed to the new issue of
prohibition. If nothing has been accomplished
by high license during the past 30 years, then
high Incense is not a success, and it is true
American citizens should support a new issue.
They admit that the old issue, high license, has
not fulfilled the desired object.
Objections to prohibitory laws are poor and
weak. The first objection is that they are Of
the same nature as sumptuary laws. This OBJ
lection is the result of ignorance. Sumptuary
laws prescribe what man shall eat and drink.
Prohibition proposes nothing of that sort. 1t
holds men back from ruin and death. 1t as
sumes that he who cannot control his 2ppetites
should have them controlled for him. 1t en-
phaticaliy says that he who cannot re1raln
ought to be restrained.
Another objection is that prohibition does
not prohibit" Possibly it cannot at once or
absolutely. No law against wrong.dolng rs
is not a perfect protection against loss OF life.
That liquor prohibition does not prohibit, how
ever is absolutely false, and can be proven by
an examination of the laws of the country
where prohibitory laws are enforced Budd-
hists and Brahmins to the number OF $40 OOO,OOO;
Confucians to the number of 200,0OOOO0, and
Mohammedans to the number of l60OOO,OOO,
have had effective prohibilory laws for over
/ 600 years, and have no drunkenness, except
where enlightened America by her influence,
puts the cup to their lips.
They say people are not ready for it. The
brewers and saloon keepers will never be ready
for it. Nopeople are ever in advance OF the
laws.
Suppose Moses had said TO the people: "You
are not ready to forsake idolatry." He surely
had better reasons for doing so than those who
say we are not ready for prohibition. He then
would have said to them: '1dolatory is very
bad. The worship of the true God is your duty,
but then you are fond of idols, and it is diff
cult, if not impossible, for you to give them up;
and therefore, If some of you have enough
money to pay me $500 or $1,000 year, I'll
license YOU to make idols and sell them to the
public I'll come around every morning and
get a little idol: but mind, you must not sell
them after 10 o'clock at night. or on Sunday or
to minors; and then, eventually, people will
cease worshiping idols!'
Pastor Hughes showed the absurdity Of
saving that prohibition will abolish any
source of revenue, and asked that every
Christian vote in favor of the amendment
next June.