The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-09-20

80 ic could lie thc neiiTST 10 Nipl hcart,
And feel its solemn pulses sending blood
Through all the slreading veins Of endless good
JAMES RUSSELL. LOWELL
How VIII Prohibition Benefit the Wage
Worker?
This question Is one upon which, viewed
in its hruadt ST sense, the whole problem
EN- brac5d in the Temperance guasii IN"
revulves. 1t must be admitted that prnhi
bilion of the Liquor traffic for bever. &c pur
poses is dependent upon the will of the
ma iJrity OF the voters of tire nation ard the
ma jOrity of these are wage workers, that is
dependent upon their daily tx, rtious for
daily bread. Taken in this, its broad and
true sense, 1t includes all professional men
as we'll as INT chauics and tradespnople. Or
ii it is taken To embrace only those earning
wages hy MANUAL Labor, it Is SLY dem n
strated that any measure that benefits one
class, lie it pecuuiAriiy, phy sicaIiy, socially
or morally, is both, by lis immediate aud
reflex elton, an advantage to all. We ale
all so interviewer into the fabric OF society
that no III, mbrr can suffer ami all not be
affected by it.
What is implied i'll prohibition law is
generally understood, but 10 make it more
clear to he compreht nsion we viii repeat it
The cunstiiuti uuil ameuGIn,It OF X ,nsas is
a model OF bIeviry and concis em, IS that
has not beer improved upon elsewhere:
"Tue manufacture and sale OF intuXlcat
L., a
this 5 ale, except for medicinal PURPOSES
This is the text of all the laws OF thai
Stale. II, and the laws framed under II,
have been sustained by the Courts of the
L. S. up to the supreme court. All at
tempts to set it aside, or prove it uucoustl-
tutional have failed? IL is not a sumptuary
law, does not what any miu shall eaI
| or drink. DrprIves no man 81 lite, liber Y,
| or pre- rerrl" lint does prevent the use OF
property, for the il jury 0t the ct!z"h?
This l.w Of prohibition ofthe liquor traffic
| for beverage is founded NJ on, the consent
of a M Only of the citizens who live under
| it, and upon the general aud admitted right
of tie State. TO exercise its police 'wer IL
regulate its own i pmestic att .ir>, and when
| any business is fdhnd to b- Detrimental t.
| the general welfare, the Safe has the right
to restrict o. suppress it altogether.
| Prohibition then bonr fits the W. &c wOrke~
first by its euucL;ipuAl fleet. in that there
can lie no such law wi,huuJ the consent OF
| the voters, man in society voluntarily sur
renders some OF his linerues for ihe good o.
the community, and the III jority have al
| ways exercised the right Of enforcing ODE
dieuce upon the minority. The sane con
dition which Renders the rssage CT Il pro
| hibitory law possible, confers Upon III,
state the right and duty of enforcing il
The fact that there may he communite:
where law against the sale of liquors is o
difficult enforcement in no way detract!
from the beng 5 to be derived from sach :
law: No LAY is easily enforced where mos
are often the last to acknowledge it Thi.
is the case under all acts for the alb Itemen
of public nui>auces a law closing III,
wells OF whole city may entail suffering
and depreciation of property, but it is sutfi
cicnt justification of the act that the public
health lequires it.
The wage worker is here benefited thou.
it may he az inst his will by being CON
PEELED to pay water REM, here before ii,
had free access to this necessary t1uid. Any
prohibition which thus abatts or removes d
public evil is brLetit to the whole cOmInu
nifty, through the citizens " no are the most
immediate sufferers by it may be 80 -ccus
toned to their condition IS TO be partI Is
unaware of danger an resent any CHI ny IL
an unwarraLtable interference with thrll
| domestic affairs.
What the States can do separately the
| United States can do in the territories, and
in all matters relating TO importation, eX
| purIatiou or transportation of a.coh ,li&
| liquors. Prohibition will benefit the W.
wol krr physically. No reputable phi, sicI IN
| now dlIes 10 claim IN / the hahltu drink
| ing OF spirits adds any strength IL i III III III
| health, and its Use as il mediclu. Is rn Ihr
decline. Nopdrents, vita any pr,.r,.,lt, ~
| sound sensr, even though h Ibl;u Il Ia Coa
| slant users of liquor them SELVES n. ~ III K
| children to partake OF II, from TN kIpy!
edge of It's hurtml physic Il lets Al in
| ordinate aud III uarur Al craving FIR niGJ.iul
is after an Inherited d1seasr? rIr numrer
| of cases OF idiocy among the cillir.u II lac
brlates, il SO great as To dtnount 10 i proof
oil the terrible and IrausnittaUle I'll els If
rum upon the human brain.
Prohibition Will be Il financial benefit u
all classes OF the co immunity, bus eSpccI ~ y
to those whose wages only provide Thea
with the necess aries OF life. Tie .nOLey no y
spent III purchasing liquors IN the L.
exceeds that Invested III bread, clutuiuS nr
any other oI til. necessities, not u spe TX
OF the comforts OF life. ID vert this s.
of wealth into channels ufprOducUve indus
try and every trade and profession will tee!
the , fleet OF the life giving current. The
utterances of the labor leaders have been So
clear on this point that they need not BE-
repeated here. The opinion OF such au rep
resentative wage worker as I. V. PoNierly
carries much weight, though he only speaks
for these connected with his org .niZ ,JiDn.
Prohibition will ben, ii the wag4 worker
socially, all drinking ivaiiably leads to
druukeneSs, and all drinking places,
whether licensed or unlicensed are schools
of vice and crime, and one of the very worst
IT suits OF drinking is the social disgrace
which falls upon the victim, and his inIu-
cent family: Remove the respect thi.lty
granted the business by the PROTECTION OF
license and no men bat those OF the lowest
and most abandoned character, wi | b found
engaged Ill it.
1t is the first duty OF government IL pro
tect the weak? 1t is one of thu moral, fleets
of drinking to weak en- the will power, and
it is here that prohlb tion steps in la Le p
those Who are willing TO b., helped.
The ranks of the wage workers are coEs
family being crowded by This most an
desirable class of Tiers, thos: VINO Ii we
fallen through intemprrtn" fir I'm pp>lriuns
of atiiuence competency. Thrse u-u croM ii
into conf etitiou with t .use WAC are t.un-e
tly trying to rise in the social seal, 'y th,ir
own exeItions, thus the sober way workers
are injured by This class and hInirrr from
securing more remuneration for Their lIb. ?
The theory now advaactd, III som Il .rt'.r>,
that IA restrictive and careful ~ I,lua'e
license will remove the t. n .,E.llinl ON
those least able to spare The mpual, II :
not proved at all correct in prlu. ice T t
seductive influence of strong drink Is gre Il
est among those whose food i, the pore. t.