United labor bulletin. (Denver, Colo.) 19??-1915, 1910-03-18
is PROHIBITION GOOD?
A Noted Rabbi Says: ale Is Best Gov
erened Who Is Least Governed"


erened Who Is Least Governed"
Rabbi A. H. Nieto delivered the follow
ing address before the convention of tna
New York State Brewers association
when that organization met in the city
of Buffalo in 1909:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemeu-I find
it rather difficult, under the present cir
cumstances to address this Audience on
a question that l have nevci taken up
before; but as l see so much of TINS
new fanatic sentimental paroxysm
thrown into the public by the so-called
AntiSaloon League, l deem it my right
that l should place before you what /
feel from my Jewish education is all i'm,
moral pursuance OF an imclora. object.
1t is said, he is best governened who
is least governed" The history of my
people proves that without slightest
doubt, for, without repressive laws, we
are not teetotalers but we are temperate,
in the best Interpretation of the word
temperate" No Jew can be total ao-
stainer, because. like you, we have our
Sacrament, but we do not take simple
grape juice and call it wine; we cannot
call it by a name that it does not hold.
You know, as well as l, that water IS
not the natural drink; every child, aye
and every animal brought into the world
is fed upon milk, and it is only by hard
force that an animal is taken away from
his milk, the same as a baby when he is
weaned.
The history of all nations proves that
every man,-whether he be civilized or
whether he be what we call savage, seeks
for something to give him spirit, to give
him life, to aid digestion; and physicians
will tell you that every sick person, when
convalescing, must have something to
raise his spirits; therefore, we give him
spiritsl
Heavy taxation, which may follow Pro
hibition, has always proved the undoing
of every country that has adopted that
idea, from the earliest times. Go back
to our Grand Master Solomon, had taxed
the country very, very severely. to erect
his grand temples. and his palaces. and
all the grand buildings, and forests and
parks and everything else that would en-
nance his grandeur. When he died, his
son Rehoboam, raised the taxes still
more, and when an appeal came to him,
he said, IF my fathers taxation was as
big as my finger, my taxation shall be
as thick as my thigh" with the result
that the country was disrupted. And SO
it has gone from generation TO genera
ton, even to the history of America,
What made the beginning of the Union
was the imposition of taxes upon tea
in Boston; SO that you can well under
stand that these gentlemen-this Anti
Saloon League-who have been de-
scribed lit is not my description they
have been described as political para
sites, who live on the people, by the
people and for themselves, can have moth
ing to lose.
This question of Prohibition is very tar
reaching in its results; if it ever passes
the Senate, it means beggary for thou
sands and hundreds of thousands; 1t
means robbing you people of all your m
vestments it means injustice, and what
ever is unjust is most decidedly immoral.
immortality, injustice and ignorance so
hand in hand, and my advice to you, gen /
tlemen, is this-if you will permit me TO
give you adyice-join in hand, stand
shoulder to shoulder, go together heart !!
to heart and show your representatives !
whom you send 10 make just laws tor
your government, that it is their duty |
to consult the people before they ever put
their hands TO an unjust law. 1t is u sad
thing for US to feel that the men we send /
to Albany, or anywhere else. to make
laws for the good and welfare of the peo-
pie can be found undignlfied enough 10
take what these unreconcilables put IN
their hands to become the laws of this
free country; laws attacking the freedom
of every person. When the union was
fought for, the fight was not only to pre-
serve the Union, but it was TO conserve
your liberty-your Collective liberty, anG
your individual liberty. Stand up for II.
and never give way until you accomplish
the task you have taken in hand,
l thank you 1or your kind attention.
gentlemen.