"THE BATTLE OF THE BOTTLES.”

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10112, 10 August 1893, Page 2

"THE BATTLE OF THE BOTTLES.”

TO THE EDITOR. I Sus,—May Ibe permitted to make a few| ■ remarks on a contribution in the Lyttelton £ tTimies of August 4, which raises false issues ’j ■on the liquor question ? From the way in ; which you call attention to the above you "appear to sympathise with it. I would - rather I were wrong in this. “ The Battle of the Books ” wag written by a genius ■ and the contributor of the “ Battle of the Bottles” does himself overmuch honour in . thus likening himself to the witty Dean,, and supposing that his soft illogical effu- . sion will pass on to future generations, * :; The writer is evidently a par tisan of the “■liquor ring,” and with the instincts of a cuttle hopes to carry his case of special ■pleading amidst the darkness in which •he, tries to envelop the'subject in dispute. •He "takes care not to state his theme clearly. Had he put it into words it would he something like this There ia a certain traffic subsisting on the infirmities and vices cf the community. This traffic feeds and fattens a number of people who do not scruple to live by the ruin of their neighbours and the injury of iheir country. The continued maintenance of this traffic Is what your contributor advocates. Now, i here is a distinct issue : Should this destine- j

tive business be permitted or should it| not? Temperance men say it ought pot.} Unscrupulous parlies, deriving pecuniary'] advantage therefrom, proclaim it a reepec-| table business deserving of all supports Many honest men, became they have never? given the real matter in dispute serious? thought so as to grasp its true natui e, coun-| tenance the publican side. We have, then,? on one side the interested and uninformed} and on the other side the well-wishers of| their fellows. The aim at present is to| mb represent,the e and misstate their aimed I belong myself to the clasß who are ‘‘tq| reflect on their proposals,” and I cannojt therefore be blamed for exp Musing myj reflections. “ The more he/’ that’s “reflects on their proposals/’ which are; that people should have the legal right aa well as the natural right to protect them<j selves against an institution which id. working ruin among them, and be able tcjc say whether they wish its continuance? “Ate these proposals in accordance witfl the first principles of justice?” Tes, an|; with ever? other principle of justice i| your question has regard to the claimis wh ch temperance men will acknowledge as theirs. “ Are they compatible with tho existence of individual freedom P” Most as?, BUtedly they are. But perhaps you meaii individual license. In Lyttelton is an attain lishment where you can have your haircut, for nothing, only to save you from| • patching cold you have to remain indoors); ’till it fcas grown again. I have no doubt-?

'that all who have had the honour of sub-! • nutting to be clipped there would honestly • vote for yonr contributor’s. “ individual freedom.” A visit to Sunnysid© might secure a few more votes. Externa of prisons and asylums might, however, hesi--1 Sat© to record their voces for such “ freedom,” as possibly they might have somel hazy thoughts about thieves, burglary, 1 4q., in the not very distant fliture. “ Are j they even calculated to attain their the furtherance of the cause of tem-| peranoe?” Tea they are, and in thef present state of society, when so m&nj| have acquired a liking for the baleful «liquors ” ’ of the “ ring,” they are th| only discovered means of at earning tb(j object temperance men aim at. “ Nebib|, lons ideas” do seem to be held by th|s •pedal advocates of the “ liquor ring,” but not, on this subject, by temperance men. ▲ desire to benefit their fellows has urge| them on to attempt to solve the nebulae, •fid they have discovered them to be distinct stare. They have arrived s|; definite views on this subject. If the Statol has undertaken to ** regulate the liquoM traffic/' that is no reason why the States should continue an institution that ia so} opposed to the well-being of the subject.} Bills are often introduced to repeal bad] laws. There can be no moral obligation! to uphold such a pestiferous traffic,! any more than there is to secure facilities! and immunities to forgers, hoanobreakersj| and murderers. " Large amounts of have been sunk in the purchase of hoteli properties,” and in con.ioqiience other pro-,1 perties in their neighbourhood have de-j predated. Nobody looks for compensation,| except a publican, for injuring hia neigh-i boar’s property and person. " The brewers,; who have no interest in the sale of those; liquors which really cause the drunkenness' ■we all deplore,” are much maligned inno-[ cents, for they are spoken of generally as ' quite as much “inteio-ted in the sole of those liquors” as the publicans and sinners themselves. “ He refuses t j stultify himaeif by admitting that abuses cannot be put down.” If he admitted that the abuses of this traffic could be put down, except by its total extinction, he would prove himself such a fool as I should despair or stultifying any further. The thing hsy oftsn been tried irom the time of Noah downwards, but I have never heard of any place where it proved a success, Bessbrook ia Ireland, Saltaire in England, and many places in Scotland, testily to the blessed effects of the total eradication of this gangrene. In reference to self-reli-ance arid self-restraint, and siy-grog selling, it is such twaddle ns any old woman, not ia her dotage,- would feel quite ashamed of. “To j uaiah the offenders and not the entire commanit/” is your contributor’s plan. But the temserance man have a better plan, name'y, t) bless

the offenders by'depriving chum of the weapons of offence, and thereby also to bless the community. The references to clergymen and gluttons by jour contributor have as much' to do with the •abject as .tba.man in the, moon. Alcohol as » poison ought not to be for sale outside a druggist's, where anyone so inclined might apply for it. After signing the book for the buyers o? dangerous drugs, the druggist might give him a bottle with a red label inscribed " Poison," unless ho may have seen him "once (or ofteaer) upon a time” in loving connection with the side channel. —I am, &c.,’ D. sTEWART. [Out correspondent has made a Very large U deemand on our space. We Lave, however, published his letter 'la full and only ask taut future cotomunicufions may be made shorter.—Ed, L.T.~} .