Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-22
Bishop Qotter's Uiew8.
He Discusses the Drink Question: Saying Se Restraint the
Only Principle That Will Be Successful.

sVoluntary total abstinence must always
be the only safe rule with many men. En-
forced total abstinence has been, in Amer
lea, the parent of unreasonable dishonesty
and hypocrisy. From this 1t would seem
that the best temperance movement was
that which, in free land, inculcated the
principle of self-restraint.'
This is the terse reply made by Bishop
Henry c. Potter to the recent inquiry of
a Washington correspondent. Discussing
the subject of prohibition, which promises
to be an important one before the coming
session of Congress by reason of the al
tempt that will be made TO re-establish the
canteen in the army, and to give prohibi-
ton to the Indian Territory when it Is ad-
mitted to statehood, Bishop Potter referred
) to recent discussion by him OF this very
problem, which he considered fully repre-
sentative of his views
Most touchingly does Bishop Potter de-
clare that "self-restraint'' Is the only prn-
clple of total abstinence that will ever be
successful in this country
"Ah, what trimuphs after this fashion
can recall" he writes where one woman
has a will. and purpose, and vigilance UNI
firing: her whole life Overlooking WIN
tenderness into the others until that other
has staggered al last to his feet again, ana,
with childs self-distrust and man
strength of purpose has fought his way
hack at last to a. blameless living. Some
where in you God has shut up this strange
power of influencing some other, and CT
redeeming some other life sold under LIS
base dominion to base. appetite so that
at last it shall be free We may make laws
until there is no part of life that their re-
strictons do not cover, and then We may
sit down and walt to see them do our work
and redeem our brother man. Believe me,
we shall wait in vain. The world waits
for love--the vigilance of love, the service
of love, the sacrifice of love. The Whole
moral sense of the community is congested
with theories of temperance reform, when
have in them every note of excellence out
that of personal service.
The misfortune of those who are ad-
vocating prohibitory laws whether they
are to be applied to Sunday or weekday
usages, is that In their zeal for one op-
Ject and that very good object, they
fail to recognize the influence of their
methods upon the minds of those who look
at subject less microscopically and more
widely and largely than they do. 1t can
not be denied-the hysterical and abusive
denials which one sees hears only FUR
nish to a philosophic mind the stronger
evidence for the thing denied-that the
growth of the consumption of substitutes
for things against the use of which pro-
nibtory laws are aimed has risen side py
side with the prevalence of those laws; and
the observation and published statistics OF
meUlcdl men III SUITES " mere sum i""'
have obtained open chamber of horrors
into which / have no heart to ask you TO
enter. Indeed, the wonder Is that that
chamber does not grow more appalling
and revolving every year
Bishop Potter goes on in his comments
to say that mo sane man can be in any
doubt about the enormous dangers to our
modern life of the drink habit" and he
realizes that queer things have been said
about him as a Christian bishop because
he does not believe that prohibitory laws
are as successful as loving appeals TO the
sense and sensibilities of men.
The remedy for evils which We all alike
deplore," he says, does not lie along lines
which hitherto We have followed, but de-
mands a much wider outlook much wiser
method and, most of all, much more
constant personal service than any That,
hitherto we have rendered or even con-
templated." The drink habit also de
mands of those who propose in any wise.
to deal with 1t, much wider outlook
than heretofore has been recognized. 1t
has been popular ito attribute the drink
habit he continues, mainly to two
cause.-the convivial instinct and an IN
herited appetite. 1 would not underesu-
mate either of these, but l am persuaded,
as l have already indicated, that these
causes account. as a matter of fact, for
very small percentage of our widespread
and prevalent inebriety.'
Bishop Potter then enters into descrip-
ton of our modern times and the eXacting
and monotonous life of the daily wage
earners, the majority of human kind Re
ferring to this life, he writes: DO we
know how mechanical and monotonous, at
last, it may become, and do we know
what mechanical monotony at length
takes out of man? For until we do, we
are in no position to judge our brother.
who at the end of his days tasks turns