The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-08-31

EXTRACTS from an article In lions Herald,
Boston, by Bishop Fitzgerald Of the Metho.
dist Episcopal church.
The saloon remains open in this
country because most of the men
who say that It should be closed re-
fuse to say that it should be closed.
Various considerations deter them
from forcing the issue, hence they
seek some middle ground. But
they seek in vain. There is no
middle ground between right and
wrong. The truth, the surprising
truth, is that many who would glad
ly hail prohibition are unwilling to
forsake their idols in order to secure
it; and they solace themselves with
two thoughts: "First, "We are
not able to carry it,; and second,
"We cannot enforce it,"
In regard to the first of these, we
may say that the plea Of weakness
or meagerness of numbers should
never be urged in such cases.
When Jesus desired to feed the
multitude, one Of the disciples said,
"There is a lad here which hath
five barley loaves and two small
fishes; but what are they among SO
many?" Similar questions are ask
ed by men who think there are not
sufficient votes to carry prohibition.
Oh, that they might listen and hear
the Master say concerning the bal
lots Of professed prohibitionists as
he said concerning the loaves and
fishes-"Bring them hither to me-"
AS to the second solacing thought,
"We cannot enforce it," One Of
the amazing things Of our time is
the satisfaction which many prohi-
bitionists (?) manifest at hearing
that prohibitory laws are not en-
forced. They take no pains to ex-
anime the cases. Indeed they re-
fuse to consider or even to read
statement of the facts. Put a pro-
nounced prohibition newspaper into
their hands, and they will consign
it to the waste-basket. 1t will re-
ceive from them no more considera-
ton or toleration than was accord
ed in the south, before the war, to
an abolition newspaper.
No one claims that prohibitory
liquor laws are never violated. Like
all other laws they are transgressed,
but that is no reason for their being
repealed. If the transgression Of a
law constituted good ground for
repeating it, what law would abide?
If good men should apply to all
prohibitory laws the same logic that
they apply to prohibitory liquor
laws, socialism, anarchy and crime
would at once overrun our entire
land. A topper succeeds in getting
a drink in Maine or Kansas, and at
once the cry is sounded, "Prohibis
ton does not prohibit-repeal the
lawl" DO we hear a similar cry
when the provisions Of license laws
are violated? Men and minors pro-
cure drink contrary to law, on Sun
day and after midnight, in licensed
saloons, yet no cry is raised on this
account for the repeal Of the license
laws. A thief succeeds in bearing
away stolen goods; therefore, ac-
cording to the logic referred to, the
laws against theft should be re-
pealed.
1t is probable that laws like the
Maine law will always be violated,
Just as are all other laws prohibit
ing crime; but they will be violated
in far less deglce than other laws,
If men pledged to enforce them are
put in office. We must not con-
clude that law is a dead letter be-
cause it is sometimes broken. Those
who think SO in regard to the Maine
law will do well TO read some Of the
articles that appear from time TO
time in whisky journals. One Of
those journals recently said:
"Liquor-sellers (in Maine) are
under a ban; they are classed as
and compelled to ply
their vocation in dark corners and
with more or less Of secrecy. And
Of course reputable men do not care
TO be placed in such positions.
Unless those interested manifest
more activity and earnestness in
defence Of the calling than they
have hitherto displayed, it will not
be many years before we are en-
quilted in wave Of manufactured
sentiment"
II prohibitory laws do no more
than drive the traffic into dark cor
ners and secret places, as indicated
in the above extract, they are still
such agents for good as cannot well
be matched. 1t is the wide open
saloon that constitutes the great
Men may talk about
underground or secret resorts, but
no one except he be well-nigh con-
,umad with the fire of drink will