"WANTED, A PROHIBITION REVIVAL."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11301, 20 December 1898, Page 6

"WANTED, A PROHIBITION REVIVAL."

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib—l am indeed sincerely glad to see,that someone has at last come to the front on this all-important subject. , I quite agree with your correspondent, the Key. W. Ready, that we have no-cause whatever to, feel gloomy, or despondent; for great and. substantial progress has been made in temperance reform during the last fifty, years. Victory! a I'lorious victory! is much nearer than it once was; yes, nearer than many people imagine. Faith and courage, are what we lack, liven those who are upon our side, are m many in-, stances timid,' and afraid of giving offence;' while all who have'any love and compassion for their fellow-men, should bo>" up and. doing."' The Key. W. Ready is/perfectly right. "More'is wanted than an occasional spurt; we require a persistent .and- earnest moral crusade." Drink is. doing its deadly, work every where,.and always. We know it, we feel it, and yet,'in spite of this, our attempts to check its ravages are merely occasional and spasmodic. ■'.I. am. heartily sick of hearing people talk of "expediency" in a matter of such vital importance as. the 'drink question-" .■' -. -'' '. ■ , ' ■■■■ Every temperance worker in the land, no matter to what organisation he or she may belong, should join heart, hand, and-head in this cause'of righteousness and truth, and should wear some external badge, .so that all may see clearly which side thoy are on, and what they mean. If they caunot gain the day without giving offence, then in the name of God and humanity let them give offence, by speaking the truth in love, wisdom, and sincerity.—l am; etc.,, ..■ ■" ' - . . ■•"', , ; irtBEBTAS.

; ' . . TO THE J2DITOB. Sir,—Under the above heading the' Rev. W. Ready xirges a..niuro energetic crusade oii bolialf of the prohibition of the liquor traffic. In my judgment there has been no lack of talking in favour of. prohibition from tho pulpit, and ■ elsewhere. The great difficulty and stumbling block is that the professed leaders of prohibition in tins city do not act and fote as they.talk. Consequently the earnest and genuine- rank arid file in the moveiiient aro very much disgusted.''' Take as ah exaro'ple' the _ last- cronwal d??ti'.\i. fkvwnl of tho pnncixial

1 talkers and leaders^ of; the-Temperance party actively associated -^themselves.- with' the ■National Association "atid.,worked fbr/their : candidates, though it' was well known that neither the' association nor the candidates'had . any sympathy with' prohibition,-whilSt several of the candidates' Standing in the Liberal interests were'out-and-out'supporters of the right of the people to prohibit. ■' Then, ' again,- at the by-election for the 'city last .year, we had a clear issue between Mr Sligo,' who has always been a consistent opponent of prohibition, and "who honestly and distinctly ..in his.' addresses. avowed himself as being opposed to it, and Mr Hutchison, wno in the House and out of it. has always been a : hearty supporter of the 'principle of the right, of the people to: control the liquoi traffic. How did these same leadefa of prohibition .work and vote? Why, undoubtedly, as they nearly always do, for the ' anti-prohibition candidate, if he happens to bo a good Conservative. So long as this system of talking one way and working and voting in the opposite direction prevails; there is little or no hope for the prohibition movement in Dunedin. What is badly wanted is earnest, con-; sistent, and-popular leaders.—l am, etc., Dunedin, December 15. CoNSISTBNOV.