The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-06-27
ON THE LIBERTY
Of INDIVIDUALS
Favorte Argument of the Liquor
Campaigners Treated in
Able Sermon.

The personal liberty phase of the
prohibition campaign, SO earnestly up
held by the liquor dealers, was ably
handled last night by the Rev. J. T.
Jones, pastor of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church. AS the day marked just
a month before the people go to the
polls to vote on the prohibition ques
ton, the subjects was aptly chosen. Mr.
Jones said IN part:
"In the prohibition campaign that
is now in full operation many subordin-
ate questions involved in the prohibit
ton propaganda have been discussed.
One that is particularly worthy of note
is that which is usually discussed I'M
der the caption of Personal Liberty
The advocates of the saloon insist
that to prohibit the existence of sa-
oons would be an infringement on the
oersonal liberty of individuals, deprfv-
ing them of an 'inalienable right 1t
involves the old question asked by
Cain six thousand years ago, Am l my
brothers keeoer?'
''The world says, MOI
every man s brother ought to keep
himself.
"That would be an ideal state of life
in this world if every man was com
petent and disposed to keep himself IN
the path of righteousness; but the fact
that men generally do not have either
the ability or the disposition to con
stantlv pursue the course of sobriety,
virtue and goodness, this state how
ever desirable, is impossible of reallZa-
ton.
''But there prevails an ambition
among some to throw off all restraint
and pursue the course that they may
choose irrespective of consequences. If
this notion of personal liberty should
become universal. and all laws for the
regulation of society should be annulled,
II restraints of moral suasion should
be relinquished. all efforts for the moral
elevation Of mankind put forth by
church and state should cease, and
every man should be permitted to 90
any source. it would only be a briet
period of time until this world would
become veritable pandemonium
drunkenness, and lasciviOusnesS and eV-
erv abominable sin in the catalogue
would be on a rampage, and one $ lie
and property would not be worth the
smallest fraction Of penny.
! 'sFarrar says, Man liberty ends
and it ought to end, when that liberty
becomes a curse to his neghbors. The
very fact that the saloon is a menace
to any community is sufficient reason
/ for its abolition. The slight restrlc-
| tions imposed on the saloonkeeper by
! high license. the laws regulating the
hours for opening and closing, etc, are
not sufficient TO prevent him IN the
pursuit of his ubiquitous business from
becoming a curse to his nelghbors
Therefore his liberty to dispense the
vile stuff that debauches manhood, de
grades womanhood, pauperizes families
and casts down thousands of unhappy
victims to premature death. should be
taken away from him. We must be
ccme his keeper. And if we permit
him to continue his work of destTuc
ton when we can prevent it we are
eriminalIy responsible, and deserve &c
share the punishment that he justly lie
serves and shall surely receive at tbs
hads of an offended God.
+ "sAgain the world says: If mar 5
brother can not keep himself, he de-
serves to perish. Such an assertion Is
harsh and cruel. Just as well say that
the unwary sheep that jeopardizes Is
life by straving into the wilderness, de
serves to be destroyed; or that the IN
nocent little child that escapes the wig
liant eye if the mother and toddies IN
to the crowded thoroughfare. frequent-
ed by automobiles. deserves to be
killed"