Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-08-31
ADDRESS OF s. p. THRAsHER.

ADDRESS OF s. p. THRAsHER.
Delivered Yesterday at the Plainville
Assembly at the State Temperance
Day Rxerc1ses-An Enforcement Of 1
Existin. Laws for the Suppression
of the Illegal Liquor Traffic.
Following ia the address delivered yes
terday at Plsinville camp meeting grounds
at the state temperance day rally.
The enforcement of law is becoming one
OF our greatest problems. We are met with
the statement that the law against illegal
liquor selling cannot be enforced: NOW,
my friends, wish to ask you csndidiy, II
you can take much pride in your Citizen
ship, If 1t is 80, that, as people We are
making laws that cannot be enforced.
l am an American citizen and take
great deal of pride in the fact that l am
my own governor, and that have voice
In the government Of the whole people.
will not admit that We are 80 absolutely
under the control of the liquor power that
We cannot enforce the very moderate laws
which we have been able to enact to cur
tail the drink evil.
WHY THE LAWS ARE NOT ENFORCED.
That our laws are not enforced no one
can deny, but there are reasons apparent to
everyone for this laxity. Why are the
laws not enforced9 First, there is no de-
mand on the part of the people that they
shall be, and what can We expect!
THE LAW WILL NOT ENFORCE ITSELF.
We, as a people, have made laws for the
government of ourselves and have used
our best Judgment in drafting them. Then,
instead of using such means as We have to
secure their enforcement, we simply let
them take care of themselves. Most of us
have discovered by this time that the law
will not enforce itself.
WHERE THE FAULT LIES
Clearly, my friends, the fault is with the
people. Doubtless there are officers who
are in sympathy with law breakers. Even
then the fault is with the people, for they
elect the officers. But, as rule, I do not
believe officers are corrupt Ihave changed
my mind on that point. Experience has
taught me that most officers are willing to
enforce the law, but they find no support
by the people. They find less criticism
by not enforcing the law than by enforc-
ing it.
Law BREAKERS ARE ORGANIZED.
The law breakers and their sympathizsrs
are organized and have pull" all around,
while the moral sentiment of the commu-
nifty is Indifferent. We need not hope for
much improvement in law enforcement
until the people become alive to a sense of
their responsibility in this matter.
The hand will not act, but will be limp
and useless 30 long as there is a dead will
back of it. The remedy for this whole
matter lies with the people, and when they
shall have mind to work" as did the
people of old under the leadership of Ne
hemiah, the wall for the protection of our
homes and our country will be built; not
till then.
THE BROAD PLATFORM OF OBEDIENCE TO
LAW.
OF late I have noticed much talk about
some broad platform upon which all tenn
perance people can unite for the suppress
sion of the saloon. Is there any reason
for division of opinion upon the plat
form of the Law and Order leagues Our
motto ie: 1--WE demand obedience to law
| and 1t doea seem to me that all law abiding
and law loving people should be willing to
support such movement, but we do find
L oOAAT kOOu pSOplo WIN ul0oE 1IOu uS.
/ Some say, CHORAL suasion is the only way
by which we can mitigate the evils of in.
| temperance; you cannot coerce men to
virtue; you cannot make men, good by
law; you must preach the gospel of love
and win men from evil ways" That sounds
well, but the logic of 1t bursts like bub.
BILE as soon as we begin to handle it.
MEN NOT CoERCED INTO VIRTUE.
tn G..k IL
such contract; we do not make any at
tempt to coerce men to virtue, to mako
them good by law. We know better than
to attempt to convert men to morality and
religion by law. But we do say to these
demoralized individuals, "By the law w
will prevent you from demoralizing others
We will uphold the laws of our town, stat.
and nation, and if you get in the way yor
| will get hurt"
"Oh," says some one, "that ia not
Christian way of doing" May be not, bu
tell you frankly, do not believe tina
Christ approves of our sitting quietly b,
and permitting nest of anarchists to ex
ist unmolested in our town, setting GU
laws at defiance, corrupting society ant
undermining the very foundation of ou
civic life.
While the dear Lord wept over falle1
humanity 1t was with a whip of cords tina
| He drove the gamblers out Of the temple.
The prayer meeting and the tract, as
rule, are not the implements to be used ii
| the warfare against determined violators O.
law.
THE PENALTY OF DIsoBEDIENCE.
We must insist upon obedience to law
and If men will not obey they must b.
punished. Another objection is that the
law is bad and it is wrong to support ar
unjust law. Such statement ia as illog
ical as it ia false. In the first place, the
law Is not upjust We're there no law OF
the books relative to the sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors, liquors would be sold as freely
as dry goods. But the law says, If a ma
jority of the citizens of any town by vote
declare that they do not want liquor sold
within the town limite, that there shall be
none sold there, and provides heavy pen
alties fo- the punishment of those who
! violate the law. Is there anything unjust
| about that in itself? We could wish that
! the whole g ate were under a prohibitory
law, but the maj ority of the people do not
say 80 and we believe the majority should
| rule.
SELLING TO MINORS.
The law also says that saloonkeepers
shall not sell liquor to minors nor permit
them to frequent or loiter about their
places Is that bad law, or do you prefer
that your boys and girls shall hang around
| these pest houses!
''Ab," says my objector, eve should get
rid of these places, then our boys could
not be injured by them" Very good, let's
60 in and get rid of them; I will help you.
But we are not rid of them yet; they are
here, and the only thing we have with
which to mitigate their evils is the law.
TEST THE LAW BY ENFORCING IT.
Now, shall We say that we will not Use
the law, simply because it is not what We
would have it, or shall we, like intelligent
men enforce such laws as we have, and by
their enforcement prove or disprove their
eficiencya By the enforcement of present