, 1922-02-24
Will. NOT DANISH THEM.

WILL o ANfsH THEM
There is still some amusement to be derived from
the debate between Hudson Maxim and Samuel Will
son, both Jerseymen, over the virtues in wet and dry
conduct It is true that they argue a question for
ever settled in America; but nevertheless ii is inter-
esting, because neither will ever convince the other, the
law viii not be affected one way or the other and en-
may possibly be aided Mr.. Wilson had the
last crack, TO which Mr.. Maxim now responds IN his
best smokeless fashion:
"Mr. Wilson mentions the fact that he is a fellow
Jerseyman- 1 love him for that, but it is irrelevant
and immaterial.
pen in hand to write about prohibition he gets real ex-
cited 1t is a common e~xpedient for a person stalled
in an argument, and at loss for n telling thing to say
against an opponent, to accuse him Of being angry or
excited merely to befog the issue. II Mr.. Wilson
could see and hear me sometimes when 1 do get ex-
cited and cut loose in private to my friends on the
subject of prohibition he would think that my Ian
guage in my letter, which stumped him for words, was
like n summer zephyr breathing balm on the sweet Sd
lence of a night in June.
Mr.. Wilson is n person Of non-alcoholic public
spirit who believes that temperance can be driven into
people. He has bis own ideas as to what constitutes
right and vroner-what constitutes temperance and in
temperance, jusiee and injustice, righteousness and
inicuity. u is q sad habitude of the jealous temper
nnce. reformer that he feels no concern as TO whether
or not persons to be reformed by him share his views,
whether or not they resent his intrusion into their af-
fairs as their mentor, guide and wardesA He believes
that anyone who would take a drink needs a keeper.
Mr.. Wilson evidently intends to see to it that the
rcregr1nations OF every citizen through thld American
vale of tears shall be personally conducted and kept
constantly under the surveillance Of a keeper duly
appointed prohibition efficiency expert
"In view of the Intellectual operation Of prohibition
enforcement during the last two years Of its exist
ence, if it is actually to be enforced, every mothers
son of us viii have to have n resident keeper appoint
ed by the government. to live with us and keep us in
charge-one who shall go S@here we go. abide where
we abide, and who metaphorically shall be handcuffed
to us. And this keeper viii also require watching. It
has been found that prohibition enforcement agents
rrun0t hn fTuafpd in fha uraeepCa If the avfSppro and
further, that those who are set to watch the enforce
ment agents, also, in their turn, need watching. There
sonal bodyguard and keeper of the seal of bottle and
bung; and the keeper of the bungseal will have to be
guarded by a guard, who, in turn, will have to be
guarded, and SO on, all to be paid and supported by
the poor, tax-burdened citizen, whose home VIII be-
come a guard house.
"Mr. Wilson has quoted something attributed to
OF Lincolns mighty influence on the side of prohibi-
ton. Lincoln was not a prohibitionist. On the con-
trary, he was a strong opponent of prohibition, as wit
ness the following statement quoted from what Abra-
ham Lincoln actually did say upon the subject:
Prohibition will work great injury to the cause Of
temperance 1t is a species of intemperance within
itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason, in that
it attempts to control a mans appetite by legislation
and makes a crime out of things that are not crime. A
prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles
on which our government was founded
Possibly, after I am dead, some Jealous advocate
of prohibition will pronounce me a prohibitionist, and
to prove it, will quote me as having objected to the
passage OF a 1euerai law TO Danisn an pronlDitionlsts
to Dry Tortugas. I have always felt that if such a
law were advocated 1 would oppose it as being too
sweeping and drastic; but, in view Of the chances of
my being misunderstood after l am dead, and being
pronounced a prohibitionist, let me say that / shall not
oppose the passage of such a law.
'Mr. Wilson says that some Of my remarks are an
insult to the overwhelming majority of native-born
Americans who wrote prohibition into law Can it be
possible that Mr.. Wilson does not know that it was an
overwhelming minority, instead of an overwhelming
majority of native-born Americans that put the Eight
eenth amendment into our constitution? M
again, Mr.. Wilson says, No law-sSiding American
has yet had occasion to justly (sic) complain Of the
prohibition law
81 think that Mr.. Wilson is perfectly safe in this
there is probably not a truly law-abiding American
in this country since prohibition went into effect and
since our taxes have been raised until they follow the