CHIPS FROM THE BLOCK

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1286, 15 November 1911, Page 8

CHIPS FROM THE BLOCK

THE WISDOM OF THE AGES. The ' illustrious Dr. Johnron, spcakinjj of iuns to his favourite lioswcll, 'says:— t'hero is uo private house at whicli peoplecan enjoy themselves so well as at a capi. lal tavern. There is a general freedom from anxiety; you arc sure you are welcome, and tlio more noise you make, tho moro trouble you give, (ho more good things you call for tho welcomcr you ares no servant will attend you with tho alacrity which waiters do. "No, sir, tkera is nothing which has yet been coutrived by maa by which so much happiness ill produced as by a good tavern or inn."

Dr. M'lvor Tyndall, a notable magazine writer, 6uys:-"I believe in temperanoo. By temperance I mean temperancein all things, not alone, in tho matter of drinking alcoholic liquors, but in eating, in work, in pleasure, in monoy.getting, in so small a thing as hobby riding. Temperance is tho way of health and true sue coss, but prohibition is not temperance. It is force. It is a. mental club with which wo try to boat into submission those who disagree with our own ideas of what is good for us."

Bishop D. S. Tuttle, of tho Protestant Episcopal Church, at St. Louis, U.S.A., declares as follows:— "Local self-government is an American principle. State-wide prohibition opposes this principle. Therefore lam opposed to State-wide prohibition." A report issued by the German Government gives an avorage of £1 per head annually swallowed in beer and other stimulants by tho native of . tho Fatherland, against £6 ss. 4d. spent by the Frenchman, and M Is. 2d. by the Englishman. In New Zealand it is only £3 13s. Id., and so by comparison wo are paragons of sobriety, yet these three nations are ia the front rank of civilisation. Nevertheless, wo have no need of prohibition oi no-license in New Zealand. "Generations of persecution havo embit tered the onco kindly nature of tho Eng. lish landlord," says Mr. C. B. Francis in the 'Yorkshire Observer." "The English inn, of which Dickens loved to write, baa been degraded by law into a drinking.'shop under tho pretext of furthering tho causa of temperance." And so it will be ia Now Zealand, if prohibition and nolicense are carried. Tho liquor trade will bo driven into the hands of disreputable, unlicensed, irresponsible dealers, and prohibitionists will glory in their degrading handiwork. Humbugs all!—well, nearly all! An eminent authority, Dr. Richardson, of New York, and a strong supporter of the oold-water party, says: "In tho. wholo circle of my personal and professional acquaintances, extending through all ranks and grades of society, I cannot now recall tho names of a dozen consistent adult teetotallers."

Making "moonshine" whisky and, incidontally, eluding the United States revenuo officers involves no moral turpitude in the State of Maine. Between tha mators of illicit whisky and the agents of:; the Government who 1 seek to break up this hillside industry there has been ceaseless warfare for 100 years. The cap. tare and imprisonment of a "moonshinor" is classified as the "fortunes of war," and public sympathy i 6 invariably with tho man who is caught. So it will bo in New Zealand if prohibition and nolicenso aro adopted in this Dominion. The law-breakers will hare popular sympathy.

According to James C. Fornald, ther* aro 39 millions of pooplo (of tio 80 millions of tlio United States) living under prohibition, and tbo avcrago consumption of aloobolic liquore, is greater in America, half under prohibition, than in New Zealand under license. All statistics prove that as no-license spreads the consumption of liquor increases and demoralisation sets in upon a community with prohibition.

It is matter I'or regret that the New Zealand Alliance should continue to circulate erroneous telegrams concerning tho fate of prohibition in tho Stato of Maine. To prohibitionists Maino was as the applo of their oyo, and tho wish is father to tho thought that Maine would not backslide to license. Maino has mado a forward movoment in that a clean licensing system is now possible. Tho truth is that Maine, after a majority for prohibition in 1884 of 4C.000 turned that hugo majority for so-called righteousness into a minority of 2G—a glorious victory for tho lovors of a clean licensing system as against tho evils and immoralities of prohibition. Then strike out tho bottom lino overy time, and save this country from tho abominations that under prohibition overwhelmed Maino.

As the prohibitionists in Maine wore Tesponsiblo for the shape—the bad, iniquitous shape—the liquor trade took in that State, so are tho prohibitionists responsible for tho driving of the liquor business into (he hands of a few in this country; and if No-Liconso and prohibition are carried in New Zealand the prohibitionists will bo responsible for all the bad liquor, tho shebeens, and other places of wickedness that will bo created aud thrive abundantly wherever prohibition becomes the ruling religion or fetish. Tho iniquities of sly grog-selling in Maino were certainly due to the prohibitionists —they created the conditions that made them possible j but they have ' repented there—at least tho majority of thorn— and it is to be hoped many prohibitionists in New Zealand will repent of their unwitting desire to promote greater evils than those they couceive'to exist at present. Dreading tho evil consequences of prohibition, we believe,.some prohibitionists will on election day striko out tho bottom line.

Prohibition will reduce the value of property in Wellington. Consequent on a reduced valuation taxation will bo heavier because tho loss of revenue will have to bo mado up, and made up, too, upon a reduced basis. Thcro is now .0600,000 raised in land tax, and with the carrying of prohibition and No-License ono million sterling will bo lost. Will you increase the land tax? Or will you draw tho million out of the consumers of tea, \

sugar, dross, and household commodities? Arc you prepared for this? If not, striVo out tho bottom lino on both ballot papers. Thoro wcro 9000 employed in hotels, etc., in 1906, and now there are 11,000— admitted. If these nro thrown out of employment by your rote the labour market will bo Hooded ami your job in danger. Strike out the bottom line; don't (alio any risks. The prohibitionists won't lind you another billot. o