THE TEETOTAL AGITATION IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11371, 14 May 1900, Page 7

THE TEETOTAL AGITATION IN ENGLAND.

Mr. Edwabd Cox sends us", the following, which ought to attract attention .amongst thoso engaged in the prohibition agritation:— There is probably no greater living authority upon the temperance cause in England than Mr. William Livesey, of Preston, Lancashire, He is now 81 years of age. Thanks to his good constitution and his lifelong temperate habits, to his equable and well-balanced nature, his mental faculties appear fresh and strong as ever; his heart as much, or more, in sympathy with his fellow creatures, and his interest in human conditions and endeavours as deep and as practical. His handwriting is still a model of clearness, strength, and elasticity, and his style as pure, as direct, and forceful as William Cobbett's, or that of his late father, tho grand old Joseph Livesey, the founder of teetotalism. Connected more or less intimately with tho press all his life, it has been through that medium chiefly ho has faithfully and effectively co-operated with his father, to whom he was utterly devoted, and whoso memory he delights to honour and reverence. The last two letters 1 have received from Mr. Livesey contain references to the temperance cause in England that I should like, with your permission, to make public property through your columns. The late Joseph Livesey, as many well know, opposed the appeal to legislation for the promotion of teetotalism, and relied upon moral and personal influence Mr. William Livesey has always supported, and still supports, his father's principle of education and persuasion. The first extract is from a letter dated September 18, 1899:

As to tho tomperance cause in England, 1 fear there is little or nothing done on the old Preston lines, which wero directed to the conversion of the drinkers (big and little consumers); incidentally, they dealt with the sellers, but it was the stoppage of consumption that the great weight of their energy was thrown into. Nowadays tho very opposite course is carried out; all tho energy is in attaoking the sellers. And what aro tho results? First, an increase, continual increase, in our drink bill. Secondly, the sellers havo, in resisting tho attacks of the allianceitcs, so strengthened their position as to stand at present in a stronger position than over they occupied boforo. After nearly 60 years' attack on " tho trade," " tho trade" is moro powerful than over it was I By formation of limited" companies, where one person had a direct pecuniary interest 40 years ago, 500 persons havo now. Every shareholder in a "limited" brewery or distillery virtually becomes a "seller," and many of tho shareholders influence a wido circlo of friends in favour of the sale and consumption. It is beyond description the extent whicii these "limited" shareholders exert influence in favour of tho salo and consumption of liquors. A good work is being done by Bands of Hope, who havo gone largely into educating the young people on tho physiological basis on which teetotalism really rests; for tho physiological basis is tho one which is invulnerable. My deal father used to say : "People call on me and tell me what progress is being made mostly in tho shape of resolution-passing at meetings, and my reply is: 'I am glad to hear of progress, but I always wait for some proof of it, and the place I look for it is tho return published by Government; in that I have in plain figures the precise position of affairs; if it shows a reduction, then that is progress; but if it shows an inoreease, that is proof that really there has beon no progress; but tho reverse is the case.' " And that is the only true indicator. All the noise of " knocking off" a few licenses hero and a few there really amount to nothing. And yet you will find people giving lots of time, night and day, for a month or so before a licensing session, to detect publicans in breaches of licenses, and oppose thoir renewal, and who do nothing else the year round towards the conversion of people to teetotalism. A great noise is being made about the reports of the Licensing Commission, hut nothing much will come of it. When the small instalment of reducing the Sunday sale to two hours en that day cannot be carried, what hopo is there for any real reform? Even so-called religious people cannot be moved in favour of Sunday closing to any appreciable extent! They wish you well, and may give you some money, but of real enthusiasm and real work, you find them wanting. Nothing will bo done by tho present Government, and when the Liberals got into offico thoy will shy off legislation of any value. As Canon Ellison once said : ' Every Government drops temperance legislation like a hot potato"—a homely way of putting it, but strikingly true. The second extract is from a letter dated January 29,1900 :

I fear the cause of teetotalism amongst adults is making little, if any, progress. The Band of Hopo is doing a good work by physiological lectures. Up to 80 years of age 1 did a little, entitled: "Chats with children as to how our lives aro lengthened, and how they are shortened," etc. The great weak point is this, that so soon as tho lads (and girls) grow into what used to bo styled "hobbledehoys," neither men nor boys, they elide away, and get lost amidst the multitude. It is so with Sunday-school scholars, for prison statistics reveal a vast proportion of persons who have been Sunday-school scholars. The leaders of the teetotal movemont havo long been mad after legislation, and get madder and madder about going to Parliament, in place of going to tho people. There is a shocking waste of time and energy and money in squabbling over schemes of legislation that are not of any moro value than the paper they aro written upon. The worst and most lamentable thing is this: that tho real work of spreading teetotalism is being shamefullv, most shamefully, neglected. The liquor trade is now stronger at elections than over, for so many of the big brewery companies are now "limited" companies. The word "limited" in this connection is a misnomer, for the companies are unlimited as to number of shareholders, and every one of them, if not thirsty for liquor, are desperately thirsty after dividends! Hence, each ono is most directly interested in a very largo salo rf liquor, as much interested as if ho (or Bhe) was an actual seller of the liquor. This is direct and weighty testimony. Mr. William Livesey is an unimpeachable witness ; is no dreamer; has been a life-long worker and exemplar of teetotalism. especially through tho press; ho is it man of great range of knowledge and tenacity of memory. His protest should lead to a reconsideration of the principles of temperance aims and endeavour. Is appeal to legislation tho wise and true course, or is it a mistaken and worso than useless course? Is the persuasive cr the legislative path tho true and the right direction? Which is the more natural, tho nobler, and, therefore, sooner or later, tho more successful?