Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-12-20
From Two Points of View.


S rically opposed to each other, and how
r utterly impossible it is to harmonic
. or compromise them.
: The prohibitionist-speaking of hin
as a class-believes that the use o
intoxicants as beverage is wrong
He cites the undeniable evils thai
arise from 1.-THE crime, the suffering
and poyerty-and demands that as 1
measure of public safety and adyantag,
the law shall cripple the practice in
every way il can. He would insist
that the manufacture of liquors be
absolutely prohibited, but that he
recognizes that such liquors have
legitimate and proper uses as medicine
and for other necessary purposes. and
he is estopped there. If the manufac-
ture were prohibited everywhere, il
would be impossible to secure liquors
in cases where no possible objection
to their use can be urged. Nor can he
prohibit the drinking. There are
limits TO law itself. Law cannot pre-
scribe what person shall or shall not
eat or drink. Any such enactment
would be promptly overturned by the
courts as an infringement of personal
rights. 1t is not against the law in
any state to drink.
There is one step in the process.
however, where the law can properly
be invoked to discourage the practise
OF drinking, and that is in the sale Of
beverages. What the law cannot do
directly, ii can attempt indirectly. It.
is this privilege that the prohibitionist
grasps to stop the use Of intoxicants
by making it impossible for persons to
secure them for use as beverage.
Commerce in liquor is, therefore. for
hidden in states governed by pro-
laws, as the best method of
and restricting the general
use of intoxieants. 1t is absolutely |
forbidden, to anybody and everybody. |
as beverage.
The prohibitionist win admit.
usually, that there is difference
among those who would buy liquors if
hey could. Some of them ought not
Q drink because they are addicted to
and when under the influence,
rs they often are, they disgrace them
'elves, abuse their families and
unfit themselves for the
luties and responsibilities of life.
There are others who drink, at times.
With little or no apparent injury to
themselves. The prohibitionist would
top them too because drinking Is of
70 benefit, certainly, to them; it is
dangerous for them, as it is liable to
reed an appetite that will sooner or
alter land them in the first class we
it is harmful in example to
be young and those who are weaker
VIII and stronger in appetite; and
ecause the prohibitionist believes
here is no practical way of restricting
he traffic so as to produce the best
esults for temperance short of stop
ing it entirely. lie holds that the
ght and occasional drinker should
orego his indulgence out of regard
Dr. the weakness of his brother and
be danger to himself.
The believer in speaking of
i'm as class-follows the logic of the
part way only. He
dmits the evils that flow from the (
xcessiye use of liquor. He agrees
nat it is proper to restrain these evils,
nd consequently, instead of per-
hitting the free and indiscriminate !
ale OF alcoholic stimulants, he would {
estrain the sales so that it would be {
npossible for those to obtain liquor {
tho would abuse the use, while at the !
anne time so arranging that those who :
rink sparingly and in such way as I
OF to injure anybody could obtain
hat they desired. He would prevent j
he evils of drinking, but not drinking ]
self.
He feels that law ought not to !
revent any man from doing anything
nat is not an absolute and palpable '
Jury to society. Because the one }
ian who drinks makes beast of
imself, he cannot see why the hundred 7
no drink and do not should sacrifice. !
e admits the difficulty of adjusting
Iatters so that under license only the c
would be cut off from pro- I
airing, but claims that even prohibition Il
oes not attain this in practice. and
lat It is fair to the great number who 3
rink moderately not to place them in Il
he same category with the Jew who Il
rlnnr lriOEinn into 1sao~w r.