NO-LICENSE, NO FAITH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11370, 1 September 1908, Page 6

NO-LICENSE, NO FAITH

(To the Editor.) Sit, — I have often, -wond-efed whether no-license .agitators really had faith in their main argument "that prosperty follows no-license," and I now feel assured that they have not, as any thinking per-^ son must admit if he studies- tho matter. First of all, sir, I should like to ask the question, "Would any person, who, after adopting a new system, find's it represents a further gain to him of, say. £200 per annum, revert- to tlie old, or' would the residents of a district wliich had carried no-license revert to license,. if they found that no-license meant greater prosperity?" I am sure you will agree with me thatthe answer must be "No." Now, it is a wellknown fact that no-license advocates were, until lately, always crying out against tho great handicap they had in the "three-fifths" majority, and they were almost unanimous . in tlie desire to havo the question decided by a bare majority ; the struggle in the past was to obtain tlie latter, and yet we find that a short time ago the Prohibition members of the House, when the agitation came before tliem were, with a few exceptions, dead against any change, on tlie grounds that there would not be aaiy security of tenure for no-license, but there would* be a grave danger of districts reverting to "license" at a succeeding poll : if this is the feeling on the part of Proliibition members, who. I take it, are chosen on account of their far-sightedness and intellect, then I hold that the logical deduction must be. that they have no faith in their ' statement "that prosperity follows no-license." for who would be fool enough to go back to a system which would spell loss material advantage, even ignoring the claim of nohcense advocates that "no-liccnpp" tends to better morality? I l>elieve that Prohibitionists -will reply tliat the influence of the trade is very strong, and tliat this is the power they dread ; but thev must admit that once a, district carries nohcense. and the necessary time expires, the trade ceases to exist, and its employes are absorbed in other businesses or works: the trado in itself is but small numerically, so small, sir, that tl claim that it could not have sufficient influence to cause a majority to abandon a system which "the no-licensees*' (to coin a word) assure u« will make o.s better oft" both fim»nciallv and morally. I hold that my -contention is nroved that in no-liivn.-v thei-e i* no fiiith. — Your.*, t 3 !-:.. LOGIC:.*' i