Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-10-03

sIenailv failed to diminish Its power
or to lessen the evils resulting from
|it. The abolition Of the trathc y
| the only remedy and Is demanded
as well by. political economy as Dy
Christian ethics. There Is an
amazipg amount of misapprehen'
sion even among intelligent people
concerning the prohibition move
ment.
To some 1t Is merely the effort OF
few fanatical souls to reclaim the
inebriate. and we do sometimes
hear as their comment on the fulfil
ity of the effort, How many druuk'
ards have these temperance agita-
tors ever ieformed?' Now, while
temperance workers do extend a
helping hand to the drunkard and
would reclaim him If possible, the
reformation of the drinking classes
Is incidental compared to the great
purpose of the movement.
To others the temperance reform
means a presumptuouS at empt on
the pTrt of few to wrest the prlvi-
lege OF drinking from the many,
and Is therefore an infringe ment OF
personal liberty. This notloa Is as
erroneous as the other and shows
as great Misrepresentation OF the
principle upon whicn the prohiti-
tion movement Is founded. Tenn
perance people recognize that 1t IS
a mans privilege to drink If he
wishes to do so, and If the conse
quences of a mans drinking were
confined to himself, the demand of
the temperance reformer might be
less reasonable; yet. even then the
State would not be justified In pro
viding the means OF his destruction.
1t Is not with the individual and
his personal habits that the Prohi-
bitlon movement seeks to deal; 1t IS
with the sale of drink for beverage
purposes. Drinking Is an individ-
ual acl; the sale of drink Is a public
act and as such Is every citizens
business and Is a perfectly legiti-
mate subject tor legislation. To
stop the traffic in drink Is the sine
qua non of the temperance reform,
and to correct misapprehensions,
such as has been cited,is plrt OF the
educational work OF the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union.
The great stock In trade OF the
license advocate, and the hypocrit-
al cry of the liquor dealer IS The i'm
. sc,icahl,t,t or enforcil & pFohib-
ltor> IA rs, ye' these s,"c ave GOT
a word to say concerning the diff
Guilty In enforcing the restrictive
features of license laws. You fnd
liquor dealers 10 man labortpg to
discredit prohibitory legislation as
applied TO The quor business an
working Tor the repeal OF such laws
wherever they exist Are these
men working Tor the good of the
peoplc or for their Own interests! l
speak as 10 wise meu. II for their
own interest and who will If so,
then Is 1t not evident that problbi
ton curtails their business? Wit
ness the recent campaign In Yer
mont, From eminent sources the
good results OF prohibition In Yer
mont have been attested-reduttlc n
In the consumption Of liquor, de-
crease of drunkenness, dimiuution
In crime. A young commt rc.al
traveller on a train passing thro' our
State recently remarked to fellow
passenger that 1t Is absurd 10 talk
about the failure Of prohibitory law
as an effective measure for reducing
the evils of the drink. grew to
manhood without ever having seen
drunken man IN an open s.og
shop. In what does tie tffolt OF
this benefcent Law hud its ananias?
Ia the greed of the liquor dealer aud
tue subselvien OF iue old p1ntlcal
parties.
The past year has Witnessed a
few victories for our cause. Ia
National Legislation, the passage of
the New HebIides bill tor which
the veteran missionary, John G. Pa
Ion, labor, d so earnestly, making
two trips to this country in its be-
half-the bill tol bidding the sale OF
liquors and fire. arms 10 the natives
OF the New Hebrides-is a cause
for rejoicing among all lovers OF
humanity. The passage of Sci