The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1895-10-04
Affairs About Town.
WHAT is PROHIBITION


of the liquor traffic. If that were pro
hibition, prohibition must of necessity
be failure while human appetites rule
as absolutely as they do to-day. Nc
law Furnishing crime presumes to blot
that crime entirely out of existence.
The very fact that there is penalty
shows on the face of it that the law sup.
poses that the crime will be committed,
and its punishment is to make it as rare
as possible.
Prohibition, Furthermore, assumes no
such nonsence as that legal enactments
can purify human hearts. The grace of
God alone can do that. Yet the enemies
of prohibition, with cynical smile,
point at Illicit liquor sales as proof
that prohibition is a failure, as if the
passage of mere law could quench the
flames Of a fiery appetite that is drag
ging its victims down to drunkard' s
hell.
Illicit liquor sales have no bearing on
the success or failure of prohibition, if
you properly understand what prohibit
ion means. They do show the laxity
that exists in the enforcement of all law,
especially where there is bonus for
winking for crime. The numerous mum
icipal revolts against this laxity, in
which Rev DR. Parkurst has proved such
Mosea, are sufficient proof of this.
Laws are generally the expression of
the law-abidiDg sentiment of the COM
munity. The people do not send muir
derers to provide penalties for the tax
ing of life, though they do.often make the
mistake of sending rum sellers, their
friends and allies, to legislate on ten.
perance matters. 1t is comparatively
easy to put good laws upon the statute
books, but it is difficult to enforce these
laws because the best class of citizens
are not chosen for that purpose, but
those whose partisan qualifications
stand the test of their republican, demo-
cratic or other political msjorities. This
affects all laws, especially temperance
laws. When we examine into the char
acter of our candidates, without regard
to party affiliations, then will we begin
to put life into statute books and see law
executed upon its merits.
But if the sale of liquor is not entirely
prohibited by prohibition, what is prohib-
tied? The correct answer to this ques-
tion solves the whole temperance prob
lem, and il is because false answer is
so often given that Prohibition fails of
81, g
the nation as it should and ultimately
will do Prohibition prohibits the govern
ment-local, state or national, from de-
irving revenue from the peoples vices;
from selling its citizens for license, be
it high or low, to those who would traffic
on the indulgence of the baser passions
of erring human nature. Prohibition,
so understood, is never failure, be
there one or a thousand back-alley
haunts and joints. So long as Ethe gov
eminent is not partner in their nefar-
ious profits, prohibition is a success.
1 would abate no jot of the RESPONSE
bility always resting upon the moral and
religious element of the community to
elevate the public sensib ility to inform
the general conscience, to warm into
generous action the sluggish mass of
humanity.
Prohibitionists are far too Indifferent
to temperance instruction in the schools,
to the gathering youth into such move
menLs as Loyal Legions and Demorest
medal contests, to the wide circulation
of the mass of temperance statistics and
facts so rapidly accommodating from
every quarter of the world.
Why can any thinking man, especially
any professed follower of Christ, reject
prohibition so understood? For if the
government may license and profit by
the vice of intemperauce, why not by
the vice of prostitution, by murder or by
the indulgence Of any other base passion?
The Bible shuts druukards outside the
beautiful gates, along with whoremon-
gers, murderers and whatsoever loveth
and maketh lie." If the god of this
world and the deceitfulness of riches
had not blinded the eyes of men, they
would clearly see that If drunkards must
60 to hell, they will be accompanied by
those who, for the license bride, vote to
have the government permit men to put
temptation in the way of their fellows
which so often means their eternal ruin.
This brings'up very vital question.
| Can man be Christian and vote to Ii.
cense what his Bible tells him means de-
spair and damnation to so many? What
do you think about 1t? Let us reason
together. Did you ever think that there
were great many church members, but
not so many Christians? Christ said,
sMany are called, but few are chosen
ssGod is love-" Hear Christ's words
ssIf We love me, keep my command
ments." Now, no one disputes that
sslove worketh no Ill to his neighbor.' =
Paul interprets this for US in the words,
s.If meat make my brother to offend,
will eat no meat while the world stand.
eth" What ground is there here foI
aay selfish indulgence, any doubtful
habit which may wreck the eternal hap.
piness of brother man? We dare not
uluS DeHiuu the pithuis HeailiSss qucs'
ton of the murderer Cain: "Am | my
brothers keeper?' Judgement is moi
ours, but revelation and reason unite in
the compelling thought that no one
with the Christ spirit can do other thar
seek by every thought and word and ac'
to bless the human race. The Christliks
can never open pitfalls, by vote, by rent
al of property or by any other means, tt
send men to hell. Those that do suci