MR WM. THOMSON'S OFFER TO MR L. M. ISITT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14357, 29 October 1908, Page 7

MR WM. THOMSON'S OFFER TO MR L. M. ISITT

TO THE EDITOR. ! . Sir,—Ml- Isitt is as disingenuous and [ inaccurate as he was throe years ago. He had no difficulty in persuading me to debate with him at the fast election. As a matter of fact, he evaded the question * at issue, loft for liiyercavgill, and not until lie. was fared by I'lio. authority of your leading article did ho return to do battle ! for his disconsolate party. He now clial- ! ienges me on conditions which are most satisfactory to himself, and even so he , most'skilfully endeavours to prejudice his followers against the evidence I might, offer. " It- is impossible to verify or confute Mr Thomson's iigurcs by reference (n America "—in oilier words, ho says, Don't accept, or believe tlw.m meantime. Could partisanship go further? Sir, the figures as published 'iavo been verified, and verified, too, bv the Olayo Daily • Times. I offered (lie No-license party to appoint- their own auditors and judges' and to go over the OFFICIAL REPORTS from which I have taken the figures, and 1 let. them say whether tlicv were right or not, Tk-ey declined, for the very good iTa.Toii that they know them to bo true, aixl lliey fear to acknowledge the truth. I make the .same offer to Mr Isitt. lie is wolccnie lo see the official figures at any time. He calls me a Goliath. I cannot help thinking that be is himself doing the ll.ifll busings—first, by prejudicing bis followers against the truth, and, second, Hy ignoring it he iiulwax them to act, on evidence which is only lialf-trutlie— often worse than falsehoods. Notwithstanding all this. I am so absolutely confident that Mr Isitt's no-license , scheme leads to untold drunkenness that. | I am quite willing to debate the question with bun on terms and conditions which shall he fair to both of us. He has clial--1 longed me "to debate any aspect of the ! no-license question" I choose, and ho ■ affirms he would travel the length of New > Zealand to avail himself of such an offer. Very well, I gladly accept ; the subject to be: "II AX NO-LICENSR HELPED THE TKM.I'ERANCE C'AI'SK IX MAINE— COMPARED WITH NEW ZEALAND UNDER LICENSK?" It- is impossible to alter mv arrangements this week, but. I shall hold either Monday or Tuesday free to met. Mv Isitt ill any ball or theatre he likes in Dunedin. The public will see the reasonableness of the subject: Mr Isitt has been to Maine himself, his party has held it j up to Xew Zealand for over 15 years as an example of temperance—it is the ol'.lwt prohibition State, having been "I'iler if for over 50 years, and half a " (enMiry is a test which should satisfy any * man. Mr Isitt has thrown down the 5 glove. 1 have iaken it up on his own • ground. Tie will not have to trivel tho length of New Zealand to meet me. Arrangements for a chairman, time to be 1 given to each .spaalwr, etc., can be J arranged on .Saturday. Meantime tho public has the opportunity to watch hint (. and to test the sincerity of his action.— i 1 am, etc., Wm. Tiiojiso.v I Orepuki, Oct. 27. 1908. [2 —2F/10/08. 1