Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Opunake Times, Volume XXII, Issue 814, 28 November 1905, Page 2

OPINIONS OF EMINENT MEN. Extracts from “The Temperance Problem anil Social Reform.” Messrs Rowntree & Sherwell were Advocates 'of Prohibition in England, but changed their advocacy after a personal inspection of the effects of this pernicious system, where it had been tried in the United States. Eighteen States have enforced it, but of these sixteen have reverted to a system of license after trials extending over periods of many years. The Rev W. F. Berry, Secretary of the Maine Christian Civic League, deals specifically with the 1 general enforcement of Prohibition lin Maine : “ The friends of Prohibition all over this country (U.S.A.) and indeed throughout the world are ( making statements concerning the execution of the MAINE LAW that ARE SIMPLY UNTRUE.” Nothing is Gained by such misrepresentation. The apparently widespread prevalence of drunkenness in the State of Maine has been a source of perplexity to many Temperance workers. So far from being challenged, the fact is publicly acknowledged by the staunchest friends of prohibitory law, and is put beyond the regions of controversy by the official returns. THE LATE GENERAL NEAL DOW, Head of the Temperance movement in the United States, said : “ It has been found by actual observation that many boys and young men are in the way of going to the bad through the sly ■ grog shops leading them astray. A few weeks ago the police arrested EIGHTY PERSONS, SIXTY OF THEM FOR DRUNKENNESS. It would be startling to compare that harvest (and this in a Prohibition State) with that of New York as to the proportion of drunkenness to population.” IN PORTLAND, THE ARRESTS FOR DRUNKENESS in 1899 were 42 per thousand (and this after 40 years of Prohibition). In New York they were 13 per 1000, and in NEW ZEALAND the proportion is TEN PER THOUSAND.

The Rev A H Wright, Pastor of the St. Lawrence Congregational Church, Portland, in a sermon, said :—“ The condition of tbings'h&re is simply amazing to all honest, unprejudiced, and rihgt-minded citizens.” About the same time the Rev Rollin T. Hack, Pastor.©!' the Second Parish Congregational Church, called attention to the matter in a public sermon What,” be asked, “is the situation here in our city ? It is one that shames you and me and every decent man and woman to whom home is sacred, and reputation, honour, and life are dear things. It is clearly evident that more young men are drinking than in the past. The ranks of the lawless, miserable, and criminal are being fast recruited (under the present system of Prohibition). In the words of Roosevelt, the worst possible lesson to teach any citizen is contempt for law.” The Rev H. Moore, referring to the condition of things in the town of Biddford, one of the stcond-rate towns in Maine, called public attention to the scandal existing, in a sermon entitled “The fallacy and weakness of Prohibition.” He said he had come into that State very favourably prejudiced with reference to Prohibition, but that after a decade of residence there and trayel in the various sections of the State, he could frankly state that be found the prohibitory laws fallacious and weak. His conviction was firm. It had held out an ideal condition which might have had a beneficial effect abroad, where the true conditions were not understood, but weighing the prohibitory law after half-a-century of experience, it had not been even fairly successful. It is not possible to explain it on any other ground than that of the manifest failure of the prohibitory law to achieve the results that were claimed on its behalf. In the States that have reverted to the license system and cancelled the prohibitory law, the change has been brought about through the influence of women, who refused longer to see their boys and gilds, of 13 to 18 years of age, become demoralised by the sly-grog shops. VOTE for CONTINUANCE of Licenses under proper Legislative control as at present, and Strike out the two bottom lines. Leave the top line untouched.