TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 58, 5 September 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

TEMPERANCE COLUMN.

THE SCOTT ACT AGITATION There has been no lull in the pro hibition agitation under the Scot 1 Act in Canada, although, during th( past three months, the pollings hay( not been so frequent as before. Foi some weeks, indeed, the movement has been prosecuted with greater ex citement than ever, and the feeling has literally been at fever heat. This has been due to an attempted overthrow of the law, or what would amount to its overthrow, if successful, In the beginning of April an organisation styling itself the "National Liberal Temperance Union" began to excite criticism in the Province of Ontario. This "Union" professed to be very solicitous lest the temperance movement should kill itself by its radicalism. It turned out to be as great a fraud and imposition as the " New York State Assembly," which sprang into being for alleged useful objects last fall in Brooklyn. The " Union " announced the following purposes : 1. To advise total abstinence, when total abstinence is necessary. 2. To advocate the sale of light beer and wines. 3. To condemn drunkenness. 4. To work for the prohibition and sale of ardent spirits. The names of some clergymen and " moderate, reasonable " gentlemen of more or lass prominence were associated with it. „ Not long after, Archbishop Lynch, the Roman Catholic prelate of Toronto, came out in a letter opposing the Scott Act. A spirited discussion began, which was carried into both Houses of Parliament — exactly what the liquor men who were undoubtedly the instigators of the " Union" most wished. They counted on making a great scare, and arousing a show of public sentiment which would be an excuse for Parliament to lean to the side of an alleged demand for " moderate temperance." The move has been bo far successful that a measure to exempt beer and light wines from the operation of the Scott Act has passed the Dominion Senate by a large majority. This action evideuoed the most determined activity on the part of the liquor men. There is, however, little alarm felt by the prohibitionists. The measure must be endorsed by the House of Commons before it becomes a law, and such endorsement not only is not probable, but is hardly possible. The record of the House of Commons shows that it is firm and true in standing by the prohibitionists. In the early part of the year it refused, by a decisive majority, to allow the question of compensation to liquordealers to be opened. And no longer ago than last April it evidenced, a loyal purpose of defeating any aggressions by the liquor men. Another point in favour of the ultimate rejection of the Senate's measure is the fact that, thbugh it passed that body by a large ' majority, it passed without the sanction of the Government, which steadily refused to be held responsible for it. Every one in Canada knows that the temperance sentiment is so strong that the Government or the House of Commons which would countenance an attempt at the destruction of the Scott Act would be doomed to early political death. The whole movement will 'undoubtedly have no further effect than to strengthen the prohibitionists, and to develop a forcible and successful discussion of the folly of advocating any " moderate" measures in dealing with the temperance question. Meanwhile, the enthusiasm for the Scott Act in localities which have not yet voted on its adoption increases from day, to day. Since April, two or three successful battles have been waged, and only one has been lost — in the city of Kingston, which voted against the Act by a majority of 53. The County of Frontenac, Ont., was carried by ' 400. The aggregate majority for the Scott Act aince its adoption) is now over 44,000. — The Voice, 18th June, 1885.