The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-06-14
REPLY TO "A FARMER"
EDIToRs COLUMBIAN, DEAR SIRs:

EDITORS COLUMBIAN, DEAR SlRS:
ga Farmer" in last weeks issue of
your paper occupies nearly two col
umns of Biblical sophistry to prove
something that exposes the naked fact
which all universally admit, viz: that
drunkenness is wrong. Hence from
the same logic license is wrong Mr..
A Farmer said, 'It is not from the use of
liquor that harm is done, but from the
abuse of it," Hence, admittedly, wrong
is done. This comedies the whole points
81 admit said he, "that 4 inkennes.
is terrible thing, and it is wrong"
Hence as grave charge against drunk.
enness and the liquor traffic as any
preacher or prohibitioaist / have yet
heard make. 1t is from the abuse of
liquor that 30 much crime, destitution,
abuse, misery and want follow in its
wake. He is not blind to the fact that
at least three-fourths of all the crimes
are directly due to the abuse of liquor.
This great struggle for prohibition is
all on account Of the abuse of liquor
which abuses morals and society. And
yet Mr.. Farmer will vote and counsel
others to vote to license the abuse of
liquor. Through all the history of the
traffic its progress in crime, vice and
venality is unsurpassed by any other
evil that ever cursed the earth. Where
ever liquor is licensed it is abused, and
when abused its results are but the
natural frui' of the traffic-lcentious
ness, robbery, murder, and every vice
in the catalogue of crime enumerated
by st. Paul to the Galations ", 10, 20,
21 "That they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God"
He also quotes the passage-"There is
nothing from without a man that en-
tering into him can defile him, but the
things that come out of him these are
they that defile." Now, Mr.. Farmer,
according TO your logical reasoning, a
man or multitude of men may drink
and revel in drunkenness and nothing
comes out of them that defiles them
Your conclusion, from the above text,
| infer, is that men are not responsible
for what they say and do when under
the influence of liquor. This, of itself,
should be sufficient reason for prohibi
tion. II drunken men are not respon.
sible for their actions through tempo
rary insanity or dethronement of rea-
son in consequence of licensed liquor,
who is responsible Every advocate
for license is responsible for all the
harm done through the abuse of liquor
just az surely as the inebriate who does
harm when intoxicated.
Again, will you please inform the
people whether in the Old and New
Testament times licenses for the liquor
traffic were high or low, or not licensed
at all, and what were the forms of gov
ernment and the modes Of dealing with
crime.
Perhaps your caricature OF the preach
ers is i'll timed and may not correspond
with the scriptures after all. Jesus
said in Matthew ", "a "Think not
that am come TO send peace on earth;
| came not 10 send peace, but sword. y
How do you know but that the issues
between right and wrong are but the
dividing of the people upon their con
scientious principles which the right
eous will defend to the death. Other
people read the Bible as well as your
self. In this fight there are two sets
of leaders-preachers and liquor deal.
ers, and you will find the true Iepresen
tatives of the church among the one
class or the other. Drunkenness is
wrong and you have 80 admitted, and
will also yet sanction it by your vote
and influence. How, then, can the
preachers be fanatics when they OPP
pose it, preach it, and teach It, by
whatever name you choose to call it,
Gospel, Truth or Prohibition.
Yours, truly, w. Q.