THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 31, 30 August 1905, Page 2

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — In reply to Mr Jas Wilson, allow me to say that I have always maintained the most friendly terms with my Roman Catholic fellow citizens and have always found them worthy of esteem. I never allow any difference in religious belief or opinions to influence my feelings, and always admire the man who lives up to his conscientious convictions. I regret that Mr Wilson should see any appearance of a " covert sneer " in my letter, as nothing was farther from my thoughts. What I said about "the priests of Ireland becomih/j Apostle3 of temperance " is only what I would have eaid about all religious teachers, many of whom have not yet fallen into line, as temperance workerd " in like manner " with either Father Matthew 01 Father Hays. If all priests " have preached temperance from the foundation of the church," why should the two honored names juat mentioned stand out so prominently ? Or if they had worked on the same successful lines, how could the liquor traffic be doing the mischief that it is responsible for today? I would like Mr Wilson to explain what he means by temperance in reference to liquor traffic. I have been a reader of temperance literature from all sources for only about 50 years, or since u Buy Your Own Cherries " was first published ! I ought to know a little about tho subject. If lam too dense to learn that is my misfortune. If Mr Wilson means moderation by the word temperance, he is certainly behind the latent conclusion of science, which is that alcohol has no business in any quantity inside the human body, except to injure and destroy. I object to be charged with being a prohibitionist. I vote no license, as being the only way to wash my hands of complicity with the evils caused by the sale of intoxicating drink. As I believe my side of this great question always gains by discussion, I hope Mr Wilson, or some other gentleman, will continue the correspondence. I am, etc., J. C. Thompson.