THE ELECTIONS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1911, Page 2

THE ELECTIONS.

[The following letters having been received by the Editor prior to Saturday last are inserted free of charge. Any letters received since that date can, as previously announced, only be inserted at advertising rates.— Ed. E.S.]

POLITICAL CARTOONS pro ihb editor. I

Sir, —In the issue of your paper of the 25th inst. there appears a political cartoon in which a supposed statue appears, mounted upon which is a figure of the late Mr. Seddon. No doubt the motive of this cartoon is to buoy up the chances of Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon’s success in the present political struggle. Be that as it may, I feel constrained to say, however without prejudice to either candidate now in the field, that *t is indeed a pity to trot the image of the silent dead about in the manner above referred to; indeed, I think politics are descending to a very low level when such tactics are introduced on these occasions. It has always been a. trait in my character to respect the dead. Let the living fight as they may ; let the silent dead rest. I have always expected intelligence, moral thought, and decorum to emanate from a newspaper office, but in this matter I am certainly disappointed at the issue from your office. I have only been a visitor on this Coast for approximately four months, during which period I have been a constant reader of your paper, .but on principle I shall discard your paper as from the end of present week, as I certainly feel exasperated at this as it seems to me a. disgraceful and miserable action. I am etc., DISAPPOINTED SUBSCRIBER.

[We shall endeavor to survive the shock of losing a subscriber through publishing the cartoon by arrangement. —Ed. E.S.]

UNDER NATIONAL PROHIBITION [TO THE EDITOR. 1

Sir, —The Rev. Mr. Wilson gave an interesting address in the Miners’ Hall, Waiuta, on Wednesday night, re the purifying effects that would ensure if National Prohibition were carried, and to my comprehension acquiesced to the bedrock of this much vexed question, that is also the total prohibition to make for domestic consumption of alcoholic liquors. To be more plain—a person could not make for his own use parsnip, goosebeiTy, blackberry wine or tapioca beer with the addition of hops. Allowing that this bedrock phase of the question were carried into effect what substitute can the Rev. gentleman give for “Sacramental Wine”? You would think the Apostles with their divinely inspired prophetic knowledge would have made some reference in their divinely inspired writings to any possible contingency that could have arisen, re the total prohibition and use of alcoholic liquors in any shape or form and suggested a substitute for “Sacramental Wine.” It may be said, and even quoted, as a precedent that the early churches used unfermented wine, but I think the negative side of this point unfermented wine would have a big chance of having a win. Yours R. S COOPER..