The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-03-21
THE YAKIMA HERALD.
THURSDAY, MARCH eI. 1901.
TEMPERANCE SERN0NETTE.
Some Reasons Why the Liquor Traffic Should
Be Abolished.

the method OF effecting public reforms.
Because OF this fact | am inclined to the
broadcast charity toward those who do
not see these things as | do. For all
that, am convinced that the greatest
barriers in the way of accomplishing a
temperance reform, is the men who con-
tend that the individual man has the
right to drink alcoholic liquors if he
wishes to do So That statement looks
so correct that without examination it
is generally accepted as true. If so,
it follows quite logically that he should
be furnished the means by which his
appetite can be gratified. l am fully
convinced that both propositions are
false, and because of this belief, and
the desire that the readers of this paper
shall haze an opportunity to judge the
validity OF my.argument, am impelled
to write this article.
First: Who establishes the standard
right for the individual and the state?
Surely not the desire of the individual
man nor the will of the majority of citi-
zenship. Personal desire may be wrong
and the expressed will of the majority
may be the declaration of that wrong
desire Certainly it is not needed that
declare at this late day in the world s
affairs that God has his hand ON the
will and conscience of the race, and
that his will demands, though often
does not receive, personal and public
recognition. Living in Christian land
where the principles OF the gospel of
Christ are nominally, at least, accepted,
it requires no argument to determine
that the bible, as the revealed will of
God, defines matters Of public and pri-
vate right and living in an age when
physiology is an exact science and chem
istry nearly so, it requires no argument
to determine that matters of right must
be determined by the constitution of
the thing sought to be used and bv the
effect of the thing upon the physical
life. Living in an age when the altruistic
spirit Of Jesus Christ is held up as the
only worthy ideal of sociological con.
duct it requires no argument to conclude
that the question of right must be
determined also by the effect of one
persons conduct upon another. My
personal rights, then, are defined by the
word OF God. by my highest physical
and moral we'll being, and by the good
OF the community. To deny this pro-
position is toaffirm that any law and any
principle relating to human benefit may
be ignored at the will of the individual,
every man law unto himself with the
supreme power to define his rights. No
more dangerous position can be taken
by any man. l can hardly see how a
person who is sane, and wishes to be
right thinking, can occupy that position
even by implication.
Assuming that my position is the
only true, Christian position, let us see
briefly how these principles apply to
the questions before us:
As to the right OF the person to drink
intoxicating liquors Gods word says
''No drunkard shallinherit the kingdom
OF God" As to its use in any quantity
small or large. "Wine is mocker and
strong drink is raging and whosoever is
deceived thereby is not wise The
drink deceives the drinker with the be-
lief that he can continue to be mo
derate drinker." Every drunkard has
been SO deceived. Again it says: "Lool
not upon the wine.' prohibition sui
ficiently sweeping, am sure, to take al
that intoxicates from before our eyes.
The deleterious effects of alcohol upor
the physical system. taken even in the
smallest quantities, is too well known t,
require more than statement. Under
no conditions yet observed does it builc
up the cellular tissue of the body, bu
on the contrary breaks down those tbs
sues. "But use pure liquor says til,
defender OF the practice. BY pur'
liquor he means liquor free from foreign
poisons, or the ingredients usually add
ed by the dealer OF today, the adultera
tons. Proof alcohol is the purest liquo
known, and is chemically ranked amon
the deadliest poisons. The fact is tina
this position, urging the manufactur
and usesof pure liquors on the groun'
of their virtue above adulterated goods
is indefensible.
The moral effects OF drinking are to