The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-08-20
DEFERRED ARTICLES.
A Logical and Dispassionate Argu-
ment.


ment.
The arguments advanced by Rev. L.
J. Mackay in defense OF his position are
so logical and dispassionate that, coming
as they do from a standpoint opposed to
saloons, and in behalf of morality, Chris
| tianity and the home, they will be read
with unusual interest, and be accredited
the full weight that attach to them.
| That the gentleman has had and Oppor-
/ tunity to witness the practical works
ings of prohibition in Iowa none will
| deny.
A committee of Ministerial correspor-
dents, operating from Sioux City, lately
addressed a circular letter to every min
lister in Iowa, urging them to preach
from their pulpits as opposed to the re-
pealing of the prohibition law In that
State. In answer to that appeal Rev.
I. j. Mackay sent the following open
letter, which is worthy of the most care
full consideration
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa.
To w. j. JOHNSON AND j. W. SoUTHwEIL, COM
MITTEE ON MINISTERIAL CORRESPONDENTS,
SIOUX CITY, Iowa:
Gentlemen-I am IN receipt of your commun-
icat1on containing the resolutions raised at
meeting of the Ministers Association Of Sioux
City, recently held, and with the request that
preach to my people on the subject of prohibit
ton with the avowed intention Of influencing
the action of our Legislature SO that the present
prohib1tory:law viii be sustained and strength
ened- regret most sincerely that / cannot
comply with your request, for believing you to
be sincere i'll your conviction that the remedy
for intemperance lies in legislation, it grieves
me to run counter to the opinions Of sincere
single minded men and to seem to be placing
myself In the ranks of the opposition.
This would not regret so deeply could l but
feel that my honest convictions of right would
meet with the respect ana sympathy on your
part that freely accord to those who differ
from me, be the subject what it may. I am
aware also, that my action will result In plac-
ing me outside the pale of many Of my brethren
in the ministry, whom you justly describe in
your resolutions sent me, as citizens having a
deep and common interest in the good name
and purity OF the city,, and that my right to be
classed among those citizens will be questioned
on the ground OF differences of opinion as to
the relative merits of two measures adopted for
the suppression OF the evils of intemperance
prohibition and high license. Nevertheless,
cannot comply with your request and for these
reasons
1 After, severa1 wars of trial of ,,rob,,,i+io,,
II, tho c;tn tha Vow, roc ,,,.oroa = ,,o,,
farce The county bss baan mt To ~, in,marsa
amount of troub1e and axnansa in tho nrosoo,
t;ons of SHIFTS AGAINST Honor deaIars and oil RI
no purpose, while the open saloon hourishes on
every hand without restriction.
2. do not believe that the open saloon is as
dangarous To y,,a ,,,oro1s of -, q .;si,, o,r+,
as the Climb rooms and rho nriyata 5r;nltngbab-
it's which probibition always craataa yo,, GOV
in the resolutions referred 10. uwa d. 1,ot
claim that the covert ale Of ;ntovioati,o drinr
has been wholly sunnressad b,t ,,,o az, p,,o,,, |
that the n,blic saloon nc a tran for i,cant,ors
vouths n, tha CITY hoe caasad 70 hor aro 10,
81 ware that Inc worst tran Yr +,
youths is the one which ia disouisad ana hisden
under the pleasing forms of cluh life ana amic
the secrecy ever dear to the youthful minds
Ara Won not aware that the advocates of HIGH
license Law stress unon the fact that r,,dar that
system these "death trans, will he so reduced
in number that thew win be easilv ouarded and
so conducted that thew will he Infinitely less
dangerous to the morals OF the community than |
holes in the-wall. and the back door and boot
leg saloons which are the legitimate results of
prohibition. We can guard orr vonth from a
danger which we see and know but against
these hidden foes which appeal so powerf,llv
to certain Instincts In tha human heart who |
can protect them2
8 You saw: 1--WE do not exnect nrobibit5on
to save drunkards but to nrevent 81 new genar
alton of drunkards " confess to beino nnzz1ad |
as to how prohibttion will .nrsvant q new gan |
Grafton of drunkards - If the sauna conditions
prevail that prevent the reformation of tho
drunkards of to-day. Your statement is the
bibitionists that legislation could NOT he de-
pended on to effect a change in the moral ns
ture of man have always Thought and Taught
that nothing Init the religion of Jesns Christ |
could change a mans nature that IT. was as |
easy to make a drunkard a Christian as a tenn |
perate man and that religion will 10 what 1ep
islation is vainlv trvino 10 do-cbanga tho no
tnre nv Reforming the man from wtthtn not
without as nrohihition trias IN do Tbava saan |
MANY a drunkard saved Inv the novpar Of ralty
ion and how m,,cb might he accomnI,sbad in
that line If religions people were on1v in earnest
it is not easy to estimate Let nc Give the ra,tg
ion that Jesus taught a fair trial. can hardly
imagine that he ever axnectad We would have
to call on orr I,epislatura 70 helm ms in the ra-
claiming of sinful men. and feel that should
be admitting His religion to he n failure sbould
I declare that the aid of the Iowa Legislature
was necessary before we could reform the drun-
kards from arising in our midst.
4. think the mass meeting which Won suy-
gest should he held In Des Moines to "hx the
waverng sentiment of the weak friends of
prohibition'' is entirely unnecessary. and the
nroposal a gratuitous jnsult TO our legislators
If a majority of the members of the Legislature
vote in favor of q high license and local option
they will do 80 from the sincere conviction that
prohibition has not prohibited and that high
license will restrict. The conviction will have
after some years of personal experience with
the subject, ana no outside pressure or secret
ouusin , ~ o ae ~ mus
with the new branch of the women,s Christian
Ten,perance Union in Iowa of which Mrs Eos