The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-03-18
lNTEMPERANCE.

Memphis conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South,
held at Fulton, KY, in November,
1908:
Mr. President-It is undeniably true
that the traffic in strong drink has, can
and will never do any good to anybody,
anywhere, or under any circumstances.
In other words, it is Enthusiastically naked
of all good results to all mankind, and it
adds nothing OF benefit to the body, or
mind, or soul. or estate, or reputation or
character.
1t is equally as true that the sale and
use of intoxicants as a beverage is harm
fdl to everybody, everywhere and in al
most every way. 1t is a measureless,
colossian evil, and hurts and Injuries its
victims mentally, physically, religiously
ard pecuniarily, and sows <the ''tares"
of death and misery in the home, and
church, and State and Nation. 1t boast
fully invades the political domain and
gloats, boldly, oyer the corruption of the
ballot box, and the general assembly and
the Congress. No sound reason has ever
been offered, or can ever be given, why
this monster evil should not be wholly
annihilated.
Our fathers, in framing the Federal
Constitution and establishing our splen-
did government, declared their high pur-
pose to be "to promote the general well
fare" and this, under our fundamental
law, can only be done by legislation.
How then, we ask, promote the general
welfare" and encourage or permit, or al
low, by legislation or for lack of it, the
existence of this agency of evil, the most
potent of all other enemies ''to the pub
lie welfare"
The Constitution of Tennessee pro-
claims in it's preamble the basic reason
for it's adoption to be "ta protect and
maintain the peace, safety and happiness
of the people. land this only by legisla.
tive enactment, for governments can pro-
tect alone by passage OF law.
How, then, can the State license, or
permit the saloon, the open and remorse-
less antagonist of the "peace. safety and
happiness OF the people?" These Con-
situations thus absolutely require the ex-
tinction of the traffic by legislation. The
primary requirement of rightful legisla-
ton in our Republic is to stop known
public evils by legal inhibition and pen
atty. The advocates of the sale of intox.
| icants always admit its hurtful effect, but
declare with much apparent earnestness
that it's prohibition "infracts the,person-
al liberty of the citizen" and denudes
him of the right to govern himselfand to
do as he pleases.
But it is an elementary principle in all
civilized governments, Monarchical or
Republican, that no man has the right or
| liberty to do any act or to follow any bus
mess that Injuries or damages his neigh
| bors and countrymen, and it is well
known to all that the sale of strong drink
does injure the multitudes in every way,
and thousands of others in many ways.
How evoke liberty to perpetuate and pro-
| tect Righteousness, land degradation and
death,
The, law to protect the people from
known dangers, prohibits the sale of lot
| terry tickets, pistols and cigarettes. Why
not, for the same reason, prohibit the sale
of intoxicants of all kinds?
Nearly all lawss in all constitutional
governments, are mandatory or prohibit
tory, showing the necessity and wisdom
in limiting personal liberty to things that
| do not harm and destroy. Without such
| laws government would cease and an
archy prevail.
It is said, too, that the revenues from
| the traffic are needed to run the Govern
ment. This is absurdity. How is itpos-
sible to maintain or increase revenues by
making the people poorer and poorer day
by day, and by putting numbers of them
| in condition to disqualify them from
either keeping or acquiring property? 1t
| is clearly impossible to create publicrev-
enue by flooding the country with any
thing that impairs health, weakens the
mind, dwarfs the soul, swallows up es-
tates and welcomes gaunt poverty in the
| home.
For every dollar of revenue from drink,
| the people pay out and lose hundreds,
and in addition forfeit physical health
mental strength, good citizenship, active
usefulness, love OF wife and children, and
| home, and God and eternal life. If the
revenues were hundred fold greater, we
could not hesitate.
Money often impels to wrong action
"The love of money is the root of all
evil" A true man ,scorns to exchange
peace and quiet and good fortune of the
people for gold and silver.
| Werecommend that our people contin-
ue to pray, preach, speak, write and vote
against alcoholic beverages. That they
stand firmly by the Anti-Saloon League
and aid it in every possible way.
That they encourage and aid the organ
ization of local leagues in every church,
schoolhouse, village, town and city in
Tennessee and Kentucky, and thus swell
the mighty army OF noble men and wom-
en- that are now moving to the destruction
of the most heartless, cruel andmerciless
enemy of mankind, to the end that the
victory now appearing and approaching,