PROMOTES INTEMPERANCE. 19 



possible to prohibit, not only is it uncalled for, but to attempt to do 

 so, is the worst thing possible that could happen to the temperance 

 cause. 



First, in chasing this artificial an d fictitious remedy, all atten- 

 tion is diverted from the real one. The temperance movement is 

 thereby divided into two sectarian camps, fighting each other, ui- 

 stead of the common enemy. Educational work and natural regen- 

 eration have been given over to partisan triumph and the counting 

 of noses. Women, who were more acquainted with the recesses of 

 the sanctuar}^ now rise from their knees and enter the lobby. The 

 priests who pray join hands with the politicians who also prey. 



Now we will suppose these jjeople's opinions have passed into 

 a statute, and is called "the law." Their wills are to be imposed 

 on the community, and it is to be called justice. Is it a law that ex- 

 ists anywhei'e else in the world of mind or matter ? Is it so con- 

 structed that it applies to the guilt of each person under any and all 

 circumtances ? O no, the law finds no counterpart in the nature of 

 things, nor is it sufliciently elastic to admit of an equitable construc- 

 tion. So the law catches a few innocent people wlio are made to 

 think that they may be guilty, while it serves as a net work of tech- 

 nicality for the guilty to escape. The lawyers are fed. The law 

 is as iron clad as it can be made, yet it does not convict, "it is not 

 executed." Yes, here is where the trouble lies, for you have got to 

 repeal every other law in the Universe before this can be made to 

 work. It is not the vicious who are opposed to it, it is the virtuous, 

 it is temperance people themselves. The law is a partisan, a class 

 law, over which a respectable comnuuiity is ecpuiUy divided. If a 

 horse is stolen, a citizen murdered, woman outraged, or legal justice 

 mocked, an indignant populace "Would I'ise, clothe itself with tlie 

 hurricane, and bearing courts and juries on its shoulders, march to 

 swift vengeance. How difterent the execution of the liquor law ! 

 These same high handed yeomanry cannot be niaile to believe tliat 

 the taking of v glass of "sea foam," is anything like stealing a 

 horse, much less ihe source of devastation to our land ! They wipe 

 their mouths, crack jokes, and wink at "the law." They enter into 

 a freemasoiu'y to break it, calling themselves "The Personal Liberty 

 Lea":ue," tlie meanest thing of whieh a member can do is to "iro 

 back" on a brother. The law's violation they regard as a duty. 

 A })rosecution tiiey consider a persecution. Instead of society being 

 their victim, they regard themselves as the victims of society. 

 Juries cannot be founil to agree, witnesses fail to appear, or commit 

 perjur}', to tell the truth. Ollicers are bribed, politics and the courts 

 become corrupted. 



