The herald., 1896-02-23

/ have no title, and so long as they are
content to spread their principles by
persuasion instead of aiming at COM
| pulsion. We refuse to be told what we
| shall or shall not eat, drink or wear,
even by local option or act OF parlla-
ment; for this would be a gross in
fringement of the freedom which is in
herent to every Englishman. Nor do
we think that q total abstainer proves
himself 80 virtuous q man as the mod
crate user. Because, for the sake of
example, the formerr by his action,
avows his cowardice aEi moral weak
ness. In France an some other coun-
tries where no restrictions obtain, it is
the rarest thing to see man reeling
along the streets. The general exam
pie of moderation has its salutary ef-
feet in inducing each succeeding gen.
Grafton to practice it also. 80 power
| full are habit and public sentiment.
And, on the other hand, it is human
nature to desire whatever is forbidden.
We should train those of our
race to control themselves, to use all
goods things in reason and modera-
tion, to be- strong in self-respect, in
stead of rendering them weHk-kneed
before every temptation. 1t is the one
who does not know how to use a
weapon that wounds himself.
| Prohibitory legislation has been tried
in several of the United States. In he
| Fortnightly Review of August, 1871,
| Mr.. Justin MCCARTHY, M. p, who knew
them we'll, describes visit he made
| there to note it's working. In Portland,
Maine, the town of Neal Dow, who WAS
the "parent, patron and bulwark of the
repressive law" he found that intoxi-
eating drinks could be obtained auy-
where without the least difficulty. The
law, for instance, prohibits the selling
OF bottle of wine by grocer, yet the
grocers nearly all did it, and cannot be
prevented.
There is little or no pretense at
| concealment. Whatever change the
law caused was to drive the liquor
trade out of the hands of the more re-
spectacle dealers into those of the less
scrupulous. One Of the Portland
newspaper items Of the 10Th Of May,
coming alter other police cases of
drunkenness, is the case Of Bridget
Haney. given by the Eastern Argus:
bridget Haney was picked up by Off
Ger Fields in the afternoon, staggering
under the load of two gallon jug of
whisky. Bridget said she wasn't drunk,
but it was the heft of the thing that
made her walk SO, and the whisky she
had for medicinal purposes" A
wholesale liquor importer in Augusta
assured Mr.. Mccarthy that "his trade
WAS now better than ever" Mr.. Nc
Carthy talked with great many per-
sons, but he relates, 81 found 10 man
who would say that he believed the
actual quantity Of the drink annually
consumed had been diminished by
the repressive law" Ee had
Travelled through Michigan many
times, visiting most of its cities and
towns, before he found out, by acci-
dent, that Michigan even pretended to
have a prohibitory law" The State
Republican Of Lansing, it's capital city,
publishes it's testimony, of which we
can give only line or two: "There
are small villages and farming towns
where the law is enforced. They stand
by the law and are entitled to it's ben
efits. But in three-fourths of Michi-
books of the state are already too
not enforced. The average of
public sentiment must be equal to the
enforcement Of laws or their enact
ment is mere matter of form and they
are worthless as so much blank paper.
And when the Legislature is relied upon
solely for the restraint and reforma-
ton of men, it fails to confer expected
benefits. If such laws are made the
catspaw to create political parties,
whose object is less their enforcement
than the enjoyment of power, the moral
sentiment that enacted the statute is
| forgotten. That is the result of the
present law"
IL was the same in Iowa. Mr.. Nc
Carthy says: II know that saw drink
openly bought and sold anywhere and
everywhere in Iowa." Massachusetts,
exhibits similar results. A cutting
from Boston paper reports the pro-
ceedings in one of the police courts on
the 10Th of May: "The crowd in the
dock this morning comprised fifty
seven men and women, from 18 to 65
years of age. Seventeen of this party
were females, and it would be difficult
to get together on short notice more
degraded-looking lot of women. Some
were barefooted, others bareheaded.
and every ono was clad in tattered
calico gown that simply covered her
nakedness and nothing more. Forty
and five of the entire party we're ar
raigned for drunke ness" When the
famous "Father Taylor" of Boston was
examined before the committee of both
houses of the legislature on the liquor
law, and from his great knowledge of
the seafaring population, was asked
his opinion as to the result of the
prohibitory law. "Prohibitory lawv'
exclaimed Father Taylor, II didn't
know that we had one!' Summing up,
MIR. MCCARTHY says: "Where it is least
needed it is practicable; where it is
most needed it is impracticable."
In the United Kingdom our tenta.
tive prohibition-the absurd Sunday
restrictions--are successfully evaded
from one end of the kingdom to the
other, and offer but little encourage.
ment for further extension. The truth
is, temperance can only be promoted
by improving the character of the peo-
pie. Education, moral suasion, and
greater certainty of the means Of liv.
ing, are the factors which conduce to
its success. Let us inculcate in our
young people the duty Of self-respect;
let parents by their own conduct i'm.
bue them with lofty sense of honor;
and then there will be few go weak as
to require total abstinence, temporary
prohibitions. or any other enactments: /:
to regulate their appetites.
Pitcbfork TiiIman.