The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-10-02

pain and simple. but IL requires the
application Of good sense and honesty.
Make Law that Is fair and reasonable.
duly considering the wishes OF all the
people without ignoring those OF a part
Of them harmoniIing different views
in consonance with human nature and
social conditions. a Law that the people
are ready and willing 10 obey. and will.
7 therefore. be enforceable: then let il
stand unchanged and suppress all at
tcmpts al visitation with an iron hand.
/ But Il YOU want 10 keep the liquor
I element in politics. II you want to
make every brewer and every liauor
dealer an out-snd-out politician. make
unreasonable and unenforceable laws.
never let up in dickering with them
usder the inffuence OF that branch OF
the Republican party called the Anti
Saloon League. and make il an end
less chain OF changes and amendments.
always intending 10 do good and al
ways creating greater evils.
The Republican party and its ally.
the Anu-SalOon League. have driven
and are driving the brewers and the
liquor interests into politics and are
nov With unctuous pharisaism com
planning thai they are in IT,
What a farce
Church and State.
There is another element involved
In this question which cannot Leave
unnouced. Il IS the church and the
preacher. 7 cannot help thinking that
neither the people. nor good govern
ment. would lose anything by their
staying out OF politics II YOU will OBJ
serve closely YOU will notice that the
preachers and the churches meddling
in politics and constantly appealing
10 legislation and the strong arm OF
secular government for the enforce
ment OF their particular views are such
who belong. or whose members mostly
belong. to the Republican party.
Church and state have separate and
distinct functions and the enlightened
spirit OF our time is opposed 10 the In
vRsion OF one by the other. Mr..
Thomas r Marshall. the Democratic
nominee for governor Of Indiana, said
in his keynote speech;
While Thomas jefferson was
the author of the bill for religious
freedom in Virginia and thus
brought about the die association
OF church and state in America
presume that there are not yet
many Americans who are desirous
Of remiting church and state. IL
may be that our distaste Of this
idea arises. 10 a certain extent.
from the fact that we are not quite
sure that our own particular
branch could be made the state
religion"
II the state uses its power al the
behest OF a church or its ministers, IL
makes itself their servant. Centuries
ago this was considered proper. with
what result is shown by history. But
the spirit OF the twentieth century is
decidedly against IL.
The Failure Of Prohibltive Legislation.
I frankly state IL as my opinion that
Il would have beeen decided gain for
the cause of morals and temperance
II the church had always confined
itself TO the proper sphere OF moral
suasion. and II the state had kept itself
free from its influences. The church
is mosts generally guided by dogma.
but the state is guided by experience
The church is doctrinal. the state prac-
teal A people cannot b. ruled BY
naked doctrines with utter disregard
OF natural and social influences OF
human needs and desires. Yet that is
precisely the method Of the church.
and IL follows II regardless OF effects
and consequences AS in the eyes Of
the church and its representatives the
doctrine cannot be false. they must
necessarily see the failure 81 the ef-
feet in its insufficient or false apph-
cation. As a consequence there is a
never ending rush Of legislation. OF
changing and amending old and max
ing new laws. always with a view OF
applying the same doctrine with al
ways the same result. tO-wit stupen-
dous failure. For sixty years they
have had prohibition in Maine With
the Sfurgiss Law. which puts enforce
ment in the hands Of state officers.
where the local authorities are unable
or unwilling to enforce them. liquor
can be had everywhere and the num-
Der OF arrests for drunkenness accord
ing to reliable statistics. is over p
per thousand inhabitants annually.
while It is only ls in Illinois and IL
In Indiana
Need we wonder then that the late
Bishop Henry c. Potter bishop OF a
church that does not favor any par
ticular political party, cried out in de-
! spair in his book. "On the Drink
Problem.
"You will gather from all this
how superficial. how utterly In
human. inc0nsiderate and unrea-
sonable I regard great deal OF
that doubtless often well-inten-
toned zeal which seeks 70 make
men and women virtuous and tenn
narats nv a faw ~ iudiscriuinate