The Worthington advance., 1908-03-13

the traffic is nearly as old as the
world, and an institution that vener-
apie, can hardly be pulled up by
the roots and destroyed with one
fell stroke. The notion of the pro-
hlbitionist that the manufacture, sale
and use of liquor is per Sc crime is
not subscribed to by large proper
ton OF the people, and their efforts to
transpose it into the catalog of crime
lsfor some tine to come likely to
prove abortive. That it is the abuse
and not the temperate use of liquor
that brings on the long train of evils
resulting from the traffic is self evil
dent Hence all reasonable measures
calculated to promote temperance are
most laudable and deserve universal
support. There is no infallible pana-
cea for the evil OF drunkenness. There
is5a wide divergence of opinion
among the best informed and most
high minded teachers of morals, both
IN and out of the church, as to the
best methods to combat it. The pro-
hlbitionists think they can force
people to be sober by statutory en-
aetment closing the saloon. Their
plan is it's best refutation where it
has been the longest tried, in the state
OF Maine. Many Of the most success.
tul temperance workers do not endorse
prohibition That it does not prohi-
bit is evident to any one with an or
dinary pair of eyes in his head. But
the average prohibitionists is, in re-
gard to the saloon, a good deal like
the ostrich. This bird when pursued
sticks its head in the sand, and thinks
it's hid 'sall over" So with the pro-
hib. When he has succeeded in clos
ing the saloon he thinks that ends the
business, whereas it only transfers it
to other channels. But he is deliber-
ately blind as to the amount of busi-
ness done illegitimately. Human ma
ture is unfortunately toe strongly
tainted with perversity to insure the
success ofany movement to make peo
pie good by law. People are good only
| ! ssa they thorosagI realize the pro-
ftableness of virtue, never otherwise.
The deterrent effect of law, even to
capital punishment, is Intellectual in
prohibiting crime, or even TO diminish
it.
Many leading churchmen and tem-
perance workers regard prohibition
as mis-directed effort. They regard
it as un-American and vicious in
principle. Tyrannical in application
and abortive so far as results are
concerned. It is regarded by a large
portion of the public as the present
day flower of bigotted puritanism
which undertakes to dictate to men
what they shall eat and drink, and
generates more opposition than any
other kind of legislation, and breeds
contempt for law to degree that may
eventually become menace to re-
publican government. The evil of the
liquor traffic is not to be belittled.
The evidence of it is apparent every
where. The question with right think
ing people lis bow best to restrict
drunkenness. Some good people think
prohibition is the remedy. Many just
as good believe in high license with
strict regulations rigidly enforced.
The question Of temperance is not
open to argument. Everybody be.
lieves in that. IF the prohibitionists
would devote the same energy to the.
enforcement of the law under license
that they devote to their pet hobby
there would be very little trouble with
the licensed saloon. The best argu-
ment advanced by the no license adj
vocates is that it removes temptation
from the boys and the weakminded.
The argument falls fat before exper-
fence, for those with tendencies to i'm
bibe will always find way to crafty
it as long as the stuff is made, and
we would rather take chances on the
open saloon than the blind pig or.
oot-legger. There is something se-
|ductiVe about forbidden fruit, and the
frail Of character will always find a.
way to crafty his desire. Making il
difficult accentuates rather than des-
troys the inclination. Such is the per
versity Of human nature. But il
does not appaarswhere the cause of
morality would be advanced by breed