The Penn's Grove record., 1901-01-11
Shall We License Against Moral Law.

To tie Editor Of the Penns Grove RECORD
1t is urged that while we may acknop
ledge an evil we must remember that
law for its absolute prohibition is worhel
less so long as public opinion is not up I
it. This is an objection which is col
stantly met in striving to secure prohib
tory legislation. 1t is said that the sent
ment of the people will not sustain a pre-
hibitory law. Such reasoning is falla
cious and yet it deceives many.
Let us ask, is law the creature OF publ
sentiment, or its creator. 1t is the ther
mometer to mark the varying temperatur
OF the social conscience, or does it indicat
the mind of God and register the princi
pies Of his Interchangeable justice. Ii thu
were so, God would not need to speak t.
humanity, but merely to listen to human
ity's voice for instruction as to what Law
he shal promulgate. GOD dld not cal
Moses up into the mount Tor a conference
previous to giving the decalogue, IN ordel
to find out what h popular sentiment
was amoung the chlidreh oil Israel, aho
whether they would be likely to sustain
his enactment IL tfat Is so, the We
must contend that law mas ls seat IN the
bosom OF the people instead Oh ~oelieVlhg
Win the famous HOOKER thaV, oi la"'
these can no less acknowledge thal
her seat Is IN the BOSOM oi"od her voice
the harmony OF the world
II there were a railroad III any o'ate
when every year klllea ohe-teItl Oh all
tile passengers droppeu ole-'eItll DIT way
stations so oadly injured ma they llust
go 10 the hospltai OF asylum; roopeo
thIee-Vehtis OIL tne money Heeueu loi Vie
support OF thelf iaiilllles' carrleu Vhree-
tehtils where they dlu not WISH 10 go
ana ielt the remaining t"o-tehtlls at ieaS'
no better OIL Tor their ride Is there any
doubt that the hrst legislature that coh-
Vened would deprive Una ROAD oil It's ciar-
ter and compel 1t to take up It's track; YET
there Is such a road running through al
most every commonwealth IN tins ma
ton. Its stations are to be found IN al
most every town and village IN America.
1t Is chartered and protected by our legls-
lature' Is IL 100 lhuch 10 ask tiat IL we
nave not power enough IN pupilc sehtl'
meht and III our Ideals OF righteousness 10
stop the rumble oil It's internal Wheeis'
Whlch are the wheels oil a modern lugSer-
haot, ana To silence the shrleks oil its
wretched whistles as they SOUND III tones
OF woe and despair through huhdreds oil
miserable and desolate homes, the state
shai az least hahg out It's slghal OF warm
ing with the words plainly written upon
1t: the way to death' ana the state NOT
responsible Tor those VINO walk TINS road
to destruction.
The licensing OF rumseillng involves the
. right to license anything. 1t Is an evil
or 1t IS not. II the former, 1t ought not
to be license; IL the latter 1t does not need
to be license. Even men who favor the
license OF llquor saloons are HORNED at
the disgrace, but why should they be, 1t
is in direct line with their W logic
They say, we cannot prohibit rum sell
ing. so let us have high licenses Let
us see.
You can not prohibit the social evil so
let MS license uncleanliness and thus ill
our treasury, says Omaha This reason,
mo Is rs UDlG as That OF the 1N0ratH a.
licensing the Saloon. 80 the iallacy OF
the wise solons who advise license is eyl-
dent at a glance. God would say, Thou
Shall Not. Then IL the man breaks the
commandment, he must suffer the penal
ty OF his dlsobedience. And tins is pre-
terable to bringing the law down to SUIT
an adulterous generation.
repeat, thatthe licensing OF the Saloon
implies a right to license anything. Let
murder be icensed As the crime Is now
committed 1t Is often done ounglingly,
so let us license some one to DO 1t secretly
and scientifically and gracefully, and then
be honest enough to put a United States
revenue stamp on the coffin OF every
murdered a Human greed, forget
ting the denunciatlons OF the almighty,
Woe to HIM that buildeth a town with
blood, that establlsheth a city by lnlqui-
ty," makes towns and cities partners In
the neiarious business. What selfishness
Is that which prompts municipalities to be
willing to put into their treasures the
price OF blood.
Pass A n~rohibitory amendment and