Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-09-16
The 8radlieid Regulator Co.
Atlanta. Ga.
VIC I. I. COLUMN
Compromis.ng with Evil

Compromising with Evil.
History has but one story 10 tell cou-
corning the results Of compromising
with evil. Whatever the issue at stake,
whatever the conditions of the struggle.
compromise has always proved TO be
entirely one-sidcd. Always it is the
evil which has obtained ALI tie benefit,
the cause Of right and Justice has in
yariably suffered loss.
We need no better example Of this
than we have in our own warfare
against the liquor traffic, The M
promises which our lawmakers have
made ON the plea of 'regulatng" what
They could not destroy, nave only de-
feated orr Efforts. low il ense dimin-
isacs neither the number of saloons nor
the amount OF drinking. High license
lessons usually the mum Aor Of saloons.
It does not perceptblv affect the
amount Of drinking nor the number Of
arrests tor drunkenness. Both give to q
traffic which has no more right to exist
than highway robbery, the sanction OF
the law. Both, high license especially.
inuenches the traffic more more strongly
than ever by means of the money which
il pours into the public treasury.
Many people are misled by the pro.
hIbitory features oflicense laws. They
reason that If we can not have entire
prohibition of the traffic, it is better to
restrain it, to forbid The sale TO minors
and on election days, Sundays aud at
certain hours of other days. This is
true, aud ProhiDitionists might well
unite with any party TO secure these
measures when they stand by themsel-
YES. But they are purchased at too
dear a cost when coupled with recogni-
ton OF the traffic by the government as
legitimate business. Still less excuse
is there for the argument that If we
must endure the evils of liquor selling
we should at least let the traffic pay
Tor part of the mischief that it does
1t does not, under the highest license
eyer imposed, pay one-tenth of the
cost it brings upon the community in
1 .I H., al ~, ~ ha
far greater cost of ruined homes, broken
hearts and wrecked lives. We have
faithfully tried compromises with the
hquor traffic. We have also in a few
instances tried prohibition. The facts
proved beyond peradyenture that
prohibition alone Restraints the traffic;
that compromises, Of whatever sort, fail
20 lessen IFS evils and seive only to
strengthen its hold and postpone its
final destruction.
But what is true Of The liquor traffic
has always been and will forever be
true Of all compromise with all evil.
Compromise with evil grows out OF
lack Of faith in God. It's major pre-
mise is one of two assumptions, either
God will not or He can not conquer
the powers of darkness. Yet in His re-
yealed word Hc declares war inexorabIe
without quarter, upon all the works OF
evil. Ellis facts" The events of history,
have shown that He has never changed
HIS attitude. Until He indicates that
the conflict has proved too great for
Him, that, unable to exterminate the
hosts of Satan, lie is forced to compro-
mise with them, His followers dare not
show the white flag. We are called to
do one thing and one thing only-makc
battle withthc enemy. When we make
terms with him along any line we are
traitors to our leader.