The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-18
p@ROH|B|T|0N|STS REPLY.
Helena Supporters Of the Movement
Take Exception to Francis
Murphy's Remarks.
The Results Of the Law In Maine
Iowa and Kansas
Given.
Rev. j, N. Smith, Of ths Christian Church,
NJ speaks From Personal knowledge
About Prohibition.


To THE INDEPENDENT: Your paper Of this
morning contains the report of an interview
with Francis Murphy in which he severely
oriticises prohibitionists for their opposi-
ton to him and for their general inconsist-
ency. As one Of that odious and much
abused class / desire to reply to some things
Brother Murphy was reported to have said.
In common with the other pastors in the
city, / invited Brother Murphy to conduct
q series of meetings here. / attended the
meeting when other duties and threatened
sickness did not prevent and did what |
could to aid him. ] reioiced and do now re-
joice in the good work he has accomplished
in these meetings. I confess I was ONE
times touched and my ardor was cooled BY
filings at prohibition. I regretted deeply
hat he went out of his way to make these
filings, inasmuch as he must have known
that quite a number of those who we're most
heartily cooperating with him were pro-
nounced prohibitionists. However they,
like myself, anxious that the most good
possible should be accomplished, said
Az prohibitionist believe
In moral BudSlOu us 1ullY IN uoe6 D1otAoA
Murphy, for that unfortunate class who by
horedity or habit have the terrible appetite
for drink. I would reason with them. plead
with them, pray with them, and in short
bring to bear upon them all motives, both
human and divine. But the drink habit is
a disease and very frequently requires moro
than moral suasion for its cure. As [
would keep from a convalescent such food
inc drink az would bring on a relapse, 10 l
would supplement moral suasion by taking
strong drink away from him who would
fain break the letters which bind him. |
would also use moral suasion with the
saloon keeper. l would endeavor by all the
arguments possible to induce hin to close
his shop and go into an honorable business.
But il he would not listen to argument and
entrsaty; if he would not be moved by the
appeals of broken hearted wives and chill
dren, then ! would take hold Of him with
the strong arm of law and compel him to
close up his saloon. Brother Murphy quite
frequently speaks of saloon keepers as
''good-hcarted large hearted fellows" etc.
do not say there are no kind, large-hearted
men engaged IN the saloon business. No
doubt there are such. but such men will get
out of the business when they see its char
acter and are made acquainted with its
psrnicious effects. Such men I would help
out OF the business and give them due
honor. But the average saloon keeper is
in the business for the money there is in it.
1t ia not appetite that controls him but the
love of gold. He knows he ia destroying
both the bodies and souls of many of his
patrons. He knows he takes the bread from
the mouths Of wives and children and the
clothing from their backs. He knows he
is breaking the hearts of mothers and
fathers and wives and children and yet he
continues in the business and will continue
of continuing it. He will pay a Thousand
dollars a year if need be to have his bust
ness protected and to be in partnership
With the state or the city.
What do such men care for moral suasion?
Brother Murphy says he has been i'll nearly
place received the kindest treatment from
the proprietor. Why? Because he did not
utter an unkind word of them or their bust
ness. He did sometimes speak harshly of
men like George w. Balm and Frances E.
Willard, but not once of men engaged
in the business of Drunkard making. If
Brother Murphy had been hurting their
business by denouncing it as it should be
denounced and arousing the Indignation of
the people against it, they would have
something to say of him besides kind and
gentle words.
u AuA 10 AuAuAIA III hC AAHy 1Goo
assured it's friends are going to kick at him.
Brother Murphy says that prohibitionlsts
are fighting against God in their blindness.
Yes, they are fighting against God, just az
Wendell Phillips and a few others in New
England fought against him when they
fought against slavery in the long ago.
Every great reform has been inaugu rated
and carried on toward victory by mon and
women whom the world has denounced as
cranlts and the enemies of God and men.
Brother Murphy says that prohibition is a
failure. He af6rms that Moses made a fail
to Israel? God. II was Gods law. The
rlan was Gods plan. Did God make a mis-.
take and consequently a failure2 No, my
brother. the law served it's purpose. 1t was
the schoolmaster to bring the Jewish peo-
pie to Christ. God makes no failures. His
law was prohibitory and it was broken
many times, but he didn't repeal 1t for that
reason. The state has laws prohibiting
theft, robbery. burglary, arson, murder,
etc; n they are violated every
the state has made a mistake and
should correct it by repeating suoh
laws and depending on moral suasion alone.
Listening to Brother Murphy one would
suppose that all force, all law. all punish
mont was done away when Christ came, and
that force and punishment are wholly in
consistent with love. In his first address
here, he saio that some parents use the slip
per or the rod in their families and tina
they better dispense with them as they can
do no good. 1t is the conviction of the
writer that il some parents had used the rod
a little moro they would have much better
children.
We are taught by the great apostle Paul.
Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.'
Love and force may not be Inconsistent
Force may be the highest expression Of love.
But Brother Murphy says prohibition has
been a failure in Maine, low and Kansas.
As to Maine | cannot speak from personal
knowledge. If it is a failure there, it ia
strange that all parties in their platform.
speak of the beneticient effects of prohibi-
tion and no party is found favoring its re-
peal. Az to Iowa and Kansas,
I can speak from personal knowl-
edge, having resided more than
three years in Kansas before coming
hero last December. and having gone from
Iowa to Kansas, In Iowa away from the
as tho law against thefts and other crimes.
More thar half the iails of the state are
empty. Court expenses have greatly de-
c eased.
Des Moinea, with a population of 10000
and increasing at the rate of ! 600 a month,
ia without u single dramshop and ia the
most prosperous and orderly CITY OF its
reputation in the world. In Kansas the
law ia even yet more successful, because it
IL n part of tho constitution. The writer
lived in ono of the large cities of Kansas
which before prohibition was one of the