The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-03-21

or excessive, who did not defend the
practice and his right to indulge the
habit. The practice. however moder-
ately INDUCED, gradually and impercept-
ably to the person, breaks down his
moral guards; destroys his keenness OF
moral perception; renders him incapa-
BILE of prosecuting any high purpose ;
destroys the disposition power for strong
thought, and fosters the disposition to
Incidence and unthrift. The influence
of such persons upon the community is
pernicious, and never other than per-
nicious.
Now | ask the question: Has any
man the right to drink and by SO doing
disobey God, iniure his health and
make vicious his morals, and influence
the community in which he lives in a
way that is not for its highest good? |
grant that to all men are given the
power Of choice, and have placed before
them good and evil, and are hidden to
choose between them; but that an evil
choice comes under the head of right
to do evil, morally or physically,
deny. This being true every man has
granted him the power to choose and do
that which shall destroy him for time and
eternity.
All means are in existence for him to
develop a true, strong character if he SO
ence by which he may destroy himself.
Shall he be allowed to do it? Shall not
rather all deterrent means be used?
Shall places be furnishd him where he
can get what he wants with which to de-
stroy himself? What says Gods Word ?
"Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor
drink - ''Woe to him that buildeth a
town with blood and establsheth city
by iniquity." (See Is. v.:11-22. Is.
xxviii.:D. The presence of any sort of
a drinking place is meanace to sobri-
ety--a temptation to those who would
be sober, but whose wills are made over
weak through yielding to the habit. In
all criminal matters he who knows OF
the commission of the act in advance
and does not do his utmost to prevent it
is adjudged an accessory before the fact.
In this matter, if drinking places are
created by the public vote, are not those
who SO act responsible in equity for all
the results that follow? am certain
God does so Judge.
But at this point this question is often
asked: as it not better to legalize the
business and put it under restraint than
have general and unrestrained drunk
ness and liquor selling?" answer no.
In the first place it is never right to
make wrong legal. In the second place
there is no evidence to show that if the
license system was destroyed and moth
ing having the business Of supplying
liquor take its place-state control or
what not-that general selling and more
drunkenness would follow. My convic-
ton is that if all attempts at legal grant
and restriction were removed the moral
strength of the average community
would rise up in its majesty and put the
whole business out of existence. 1t
should be So
A word more: Has prohibition agita-
ton accomplished nothing? Are we no
nearer solution Of the problem than
we were years ago? A half century age
liquor was on everybody's table and
drinking was the common and respect
able practice. Today the stuff has been
banished from respectable tables and
drinking has been restricted to the sa-
loon and made disreputable in the ewes
of right thinking men. So much clear
gain. Give us another half century OF
earnest, tactful effort, guided by the
true Christian conscience and inspired
by genuine love for men and desire
to lift them to the highest possible level
and the business OF liquor making and
drunkard making will be thing of the
past May the Lord and the clean mer
of this generation hasten the day.
5. l.. HAYDEN, ID. ID.