The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-08-11
MUST SETTLE
QUESTION
TIE VIEWS or JEFFERSON pA
Vs, WILLS AND SAMUEL J.
rtlOeN.

fathers were good enough In their
time. but that they wouldn't amount
to much In this great day and age
This line Of argument seems TO be in
favor with some OF the gentlemen who
have come from outside states, with
expenses and salaries paid somewhere
east of the Alleghanies, to tell the
people of Oklahoma that they must
accept statewide prohibition, regard
| less OF what their preferences may be
| That several distinguished citizens OF
| the United States In times past have
| had few ideas on this subject OF
prohibition may be found as follows:
Thomas jefferson: "Our Legislators
are not sufficiently apprised of the
rightful limits of their power that
| their true office f. to declare and en-
force only our natural rights and
duties, and take none of them from
us No man has natural right to
recognize and undertake to protect.
rights of another; and this Is all
from which the law ought to restrain
him; every man is under the natural
duty of contributing to the necessities
of society, and this is all the laws
ought to enforce on him; and no man
having the natural right to be the
Judge between himself and another;
II is his natural duty to submit TO
the umpirag~pf an impartial third.
When the laws have declared and en-.
forced all this. they have fulfilled
their functions, and the idea Is quite
unfounded that on entering into so.
ciety we give up our natural right
Abraham Lincoln: Prohibition will
work great injury to the cause OF
temperance 1t is a species of in
temperance within itself, for It goes
beyond the bounds OF reason in that
: Il attempts to control mans ap-
, petite by legislation, and in making
crimes out of all things that are not
crimes. A prohibition law strikes a
blow at the very principles on which
our government was founded. | have
p. always been found laboring to protect
q the weaker Classes from the stronger
|, and / can never give my co a 10
5 such law as YOU propose TO enact.
A Until my tongue shall be silenced in
death, | will continue to fight for the
rights of men"
$ Samuel J. Tilden: 1T is no part of
I the duty OF the state to coerce the
! individual man, except so far as his
! conduct may effect others not re-
r motely and consequentially, hut by
, violating rights which legislation can
The opposite principal leaves no room
or individual reason and conscience,
trusts nothing to self-culture. and
substitutes the wisdom of the Senate
and assembly for the plan of moral
government ordained by Providence.
The whole progress of society consists
IN learning how TO attain by the indie
pendent action or voluntary associ
alton of individuals those objects
which are at first attempted through
the agency of the government and in
lcssening the spheres of legislation
and enlarging that Of individual rca-
son and conscience"
Roger O. Mills: u oppose the adop-
tion OF prohibition because y violates
a fundamental principle of free gov.
ernment"
jefferson Davis: THAT It Untem-
| pcrance) is at the root of many social
disorders is conceded. but then the
/ question arises what Is the appro-
| pirate remedy, and what the present
/ necessity? To destroy individual lib
| erty and moral responsibility would
/ ho to eradicate one evil by the sub
| stitution OF another The abuse and
not the use of stimulants, it must be
| confessed, is the evil TO be remedied
| | might appeal to men not as old as
| myself TO sustain the assertion that
| the Conviyial use OF intoXicants and
I the occurrence OF drunkenness has
become less frequent within the last
twenty years than It was before. The
refining influence OF education and
Christianity may he credited with this
result Why not allow these blessed
| handmaidens Of virtue and morality
To continue unembarrassed their civ
| ilizing work?'--Adv.
I