The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-07
IS PROHIBITION JUSTIFIABLE.
Communicated. }

| purpose, dlmlnlSneS or increases III
temperance or otherwise does good or
harm.
While its avowed object is 10 pre-
vent intemperance prohibition does
not aim its restrictions at the intemp-
crate but only at the seller. II does
this because the number of sellers is
comparatively small It does not dare
to attack openly the buyers or users
because Of their great numbers and
because they would resent the inter-
! ference with their rights, and person
| al liberty and inclinations. 1t is con-
| tent TO make the seller the scapegoat
over whose shoulders the law is really
! aimed at the purchasers, ignoring the
| fact that in all moral respects the sell
| Ter and buyer stand on equal footing
| so far as the sale is concerned. IT..
| therefore, processes one thing while it
; intends another and creates in fair
minds a sense of injustice. The man
who has bought cannot bring his
conscience to declare the seller Grim
inal by the act of selling while he, by
the act Of buying, is innocent. To til,
extent, therefore, prohibition is not
honest
But aside from this is prohibition
right and justifiable in principle? L"
force the best means Of making men
temperate and moral? Is it right 10
interfere with the personal liberty Of
large body of citizens and attempt
To cfriof in
duct against their will and can such
attempt succeed and do good?
Prof Lecky says: ITO attempt ID
guard adult men by law against temp
tation, to place them under a moral
tutelege is a dangerous precedent.
The tendency to coercive laws on all
matters relating to Intoxicating Ii
quors is certainly not a tendency to-
ward liberty"
Herbert Spencer says: Beyond the
encouragement Of fraud, lying, con-
tempt of law, and CONSPICUOUS crook
edness, multitudious other evils were
caused or augmented and indirect de-
moralization was added to the direct
increase of the vice aimed at
Thomas Jefferson said: Tell any
man he shall not do thing or have
thing done and that becomes the
very one he wishes to do o. have"
Horatio Seymour said: "Intemper-
ance cannot be expatriated by prohi
bitory laws; they are not consistent
with sound principles of legislation. All
experience shows that temperance like
other virtues is not produced by law
makers but by the influence Of edu-
cation, morality and religion
Samuel J. Tilden said: at is no
part of the duty of the state to coerce
the individual man. Prohibition leaves
no room for individual reason and
conscience, trusts nothing to self cul
ture and substitutes the wisdom of the
senate and assembly for the plan Of
idence"
John Quincy Adams said: Forget
not, | pray you, the right of personal
freedom. Self-govenment is the foun-
dation of all our political and social
institutions and it is by self-govern-
can be enforced. Seek not to force
upon your brother by legislative en-
actments that virtue which he can only
have by the dictates of his own con-
science and the energy of his own free
will"
Thomas F. Bayard said: $50 far as
my experience goes a well-regulated
system Of license has provided the mos
efficient check upon the abuse of the
liquor question. In many respects it 81
a sumptuOuS one, the laws attempt
ing to establish sumptuary regulations
become inquisitorial and impossible of
execution so that in those communi-
ties where they have been enacted the,
have either aggravated the evil or have
fallen into contempt aud uselessness
and been repealed"
Daniel Voorhees, said: "The HOLY
Scripture and the History of the church
are alike without warrant for the pro-
hibitionists. And looking to the his
tory of civilization from the days Of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the pres
ent hour where can a nation be found
OF strength nd progress whose people
could not be trusted to regulate their
personal daily habits for themselves.
Jefferson Davis said: ITO destroy
individual liberty and moral response
bility would be to eradicate one evil
by the substitution Of another The
conVival use of intoxicants and the
occurrence of drunkenness has become
less frequent within the last twenty
years than it was before. The refin-
ing influence of education and Chris
tanity may be credited with this re-
suit. Why not allow these blessed
handmaidens Of virtue and morality
to continue unembarrassed their civ
iliZing work?'
Bishop Hall (Vt.) said: This sug-
0PSfC ~.