The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-08-08
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
PROHIBITION VS.. TEMPERANCE.

which the first is that drunkenness is
very grave social evil; and the
| second, that strong drink, material
cause of the evil, is in itself one of
the Indifferent things which become
good or bad according to their use.
tuberculosis is a physical evil, and to
get rid of it one may declare war
against dirt and damp and airless,
sunless rooms. Dirt. u.s. according to a.
well-known author, matter in the
wrong place. God created man crea-
ture of the air and of the light. A
system, or rather lack of system,
which allows dirt to accumulate and
men and women and children to be
cut off from air and light, is in itself
disorderly;, and even though it did not
| result in disease, should nevertheless
be abolished. Hence it may be the
| direct object of attack. Drunkenness
is physical and moral evil. It's cure
| is to be found in moral order, rather
than in the physical; in the cultivation
of the will rather than in the removal
of the material cause. From this We
see the error of the prohibition meth
cd of procuring sobriety.
According to the w. G. T. u and it's
friends of the male sex, wine and beer
and stronger liquors are absolutely
bad, and to be forbidden to all as such,
a position practically Manichean. They
are, on the contrary, all gifts of God,
to be used by man according to Gods
law, natural and revealed. Of course,
such use embraces both the actual
employment of the things in question
and their remuneration. How far the
use will consist in the one or the other,
depends upon the conditions and cir
cumstances of the individual using.
We may say, though, that renuncia-
ton must be more general than en-
| ployment. For many it is absolutely
necessary; for the majority it must al
ways have it's place. After the little
that may be useful has been taken,
the will must say to the appetite:
| mo more!" This is the human use
of strong drink 1t is the meritorious
| ZIONIST is not so.
| If Prohibitionism is one extreme, we
must not forget that there is another.
II would rather see England free than
England SOBER" cried the famous
Bishop of Peterborough, DR.. Magee, in
the House of Lords; and in saying this
he gave expression to the common
idea that all temperance legislation is
an infringement on personal liberty.
| AS has been pointed out in these
columns more than once, civil author
ity is obliged to help its subjects TO
Hive according to order; and one has
need of very little experience to see
that very large number of men and
women will not observe order in the
matter of drink unless the civil power
comes to their aid, A reasonable leg
islation in this matter, therefore, is no
infringement of liberty, but is rather,
as was shown last week. it's protec-
Ftion. That legislation Is reasonable
which, while it does not take away
freedom Of will, makes the election
of what is right, easy instead of diff
cult.
There are two aspects of the drink
question. One may consider the class
of drunkards, those namely who VIC
late public order by frequent intoxi-
cation, which leads often to other
crimes, which keeps the family the
drunkard ought to support in COM
fort, poor and wretched, and which
degrades the victim in all his physical
and moral faculties. Or one may con-
slider the habitat drinker who does
not go to such excess. With regard
to the former legislation should first
be punitive and deterrent This be-
ing provided for, preventive legislation
should be looked to, unless the victim
of drink be guarded against tempta-
ton, no punitive or deterrent legisla-
ton will keep him from his vice.
Preventive legislation should have
in view the bringing of the supply of
drink and of the places where drink
may be obtained within reasonable
bounds. Breweries and distilleries
should be licensed to manufacture only
a certain quantity. OF this only a
fixed amount should be allowed to be
sold in the place of manufacture,
while, as regards export, each COM
munity should have the quantity it is
allowed to bring in, fixed according
to it's moderate need. Saloons should
be restricted in number and should
be distributed according to the popu-
lation. This would be a task for no
little patience and skill, but it is not
beyond the powers of legislators. To
perform it well these should consult
the leaders of the trades unions. They
know their men intimately, they have
a special interest in their sobriety, and
it would be distinct social gain IL
they were brought to take their part IN
the broader questions of life, instead
of combining themselves to the endless
quarrels OF capital and labor. Thus,
they would begin to work harmonious
ly with their fellow citizens for the
common good instead of keeping up
the antagonisms that trouble the peace
of society and threaten it's existence
Prohibition may seem easier, but it is
the just means only for nation of
drunkards; and, thank God, we are
not that.
With regard to the second class OF
drinkers, it seems that Prohibitionists
think them responsible for some OF the
diseases of mankind. In the first place
N