The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-11-27

and rendered him Quixotic, and that
with the buoyant confidence Of youth
he starts out like knight-errant fight
ing the windmills and wine-bags and
other monsters which he finds In the
path of Prohibition.
Therefore, although he did not ex-
tend to us the customary courtesy of
addressing his criticism to our own
paper, but chose another vehicle, we
shall attempt to give him the much
coveted reply, hoping that it may go at
least little way towards dispelling his
delusion.
Rev. Jelbart objects to the utterances
of the Fredonia, N. Y, minister who
said that Prohibitionists did not vote
the Prohibition ticket because men who
were swept into the Prohibition party
by wave of zeal which is not in accord
ance with wisdom, WILL when they take
sober second thought. get back. The
Fredonia minister continuing said:
"They have learned that temperance and
prohibition are two entirely different things;
that there is no reformatory feature about
prohibition, that every argument for prohibi-
tion is necessarily based upon the assumption
that some one besides the drinker j. respon-
siblc for drunkenness; that the preaching Of
any doctrine that relieves the man who gets
drunk from any share OF the blame Is perni-
cious and leads 20 greater freedom in drink
ing; that, II the drunkard Is not wholly re
sponsibc for his drunkenness the Scripture
would seem unjust In declaring that no
drunkard shall inherit the kingdom OF God;
that temptations are I'm the world for wise
purpose, and that men develop virtue and
character only by resisting them"
Rev. Jelbart also takes exceptions to
the Spirits remark that the principle
of Prohibition, IL universally applied,
would lead to the grossest absurdities,
wipe out the inspiration for good con-
duct, and the distinction between good
and evil
LET us see," he says, and then pro-
ceeds to argue In this fashion:
stealing is prohibited by law, hence there
Is no distinction between the honest man and
the thief. Therefore the law should be
repealed"
Stealing is not prohibited by law.
There is no attempt made by the statute
to make it impossible, or even difficult,
to steal. The law simply defines what
constitutes stealing, and then prescribes
penalty for the thief. II you wish to
suffer the penalty there is nothing in
the law to prevent you from stealing.
Applying the Prohibition principle to
stealing we would have to enact law
TO prohibit the manufacture and sale of
goods that would tempt men to steal.
And, in order to "help our weaker
brothers and lift the world to higher
moral plain" by this plan we would
be compelled to decry and discourage
displays in shop windows and the ac-
emulation of property in general. He
continues:
Murder is prohibited by law, hence there
Is no distinction; any man may be designated
a murderer Mt heart, the law preventing him
from being one in fact, therefore the law
against murder should be repealed"
The law does not prevent any man
from being murderer. 1t simply seeks
to discourage homicide by saying that he
who kills another shall himself suf-
fer death. There is no attempt made
in either divine or human laws to make
it impossible to commit murder. II you
were to attempt to discourage murder
by the prohibitory method, how would
you proceed? Would you make it
penal offense to manufacture and sell all
weapons wherewith man might slay
his fellows? Or would you shut up
from the sight of the murderously in
clined all people who might become
their victims? Could absurdity go fur
ther than that?
Here is some more of Rev. Jelbart's
logic:
Law is the safeguard of society, and for
the protection of society we have laws
against profanity, theft, adultery, perjury,
assault, murder. When these laws are
violated the common veal demands that the
culprlt shall be punished and where justice
reigns penalty Is inflicted"
No be sure we have laws to discour-
age profanity, theft, adultery, perjury,
assault and murder" That is we have
enacted penalties for these crimes.
And we have placed the responsibility
where It belongs--on the offender.
What mess we would make OF it were
we to attempt to make it impossible for
men to steal, commit adultery, lie, and
murder by the Prohibition plan! Put
away temptation from the weak, efif
Keep tempting food from the glutton-
Gus. Keep women out of the sight of
the lecherous. Expect men to be glut-
tons, and criminals and drunkards, If
they can find the means to be such, but
see to it that they are not tempted.
Don't give them an opportunity. Abol-
ish everything. Wipe all humanity
from the face Of the earth.