THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, 23th MARCH, 1903. THE LICENSING ELECTION.

Southland Times, Issue 19004, 25 March 1903, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, 23th MARC H, 1903. THE LICENSING ELECTION.

The electors are" called upon by eve reconsideration of fluty and humanity to go to tho booths to-day and record their votes for a Licensing Committee lor the district of Invercargill. We say considerations of duty because it is the duty of every qualified person to exercise the rights that belong to his status, as an elector-: what is a right in one aspect is a responsibility in the other, and no matter what the question upon which a decision is asked may be the eiti«zen is bound to use his right or forfeit it. We say considerations of humanity because in this case the question has a direct bearing upon the most stupendous evil in Christendom, and humanity demands of those who have a vote in the control of that evil that they shall wn« ploy it' as their convictions direct. The Act under which to-day's poll will be taken was passed with the express purpose of admitting the people to a larger share in the control of _i.he liquor traffic, and unless the people go to the polls the provisions of a statute that is obviously just and enlightened will „bo brought to naught. We hayej already pointed out that there are two " tickets " before the- electors at this election, in one of whicth that put forward by the No-License party, piere is promise of much more stringent control than in the other. The liquor traffic, as those engaged in it must know of

their own experience, is not one in which indulgence can bo safely allowed, and tins. No-License " ticlvtt " is more likely than the other to insist upon" that rigorous supervision by which alone the abuse o? licenses can be checked. We have no sympathy with those who in wild uncontrolled language brand all those engaged" in the trade as "bloodsuckers " and " vampires " and •' vultures " and other repulsive monsters, or with those who, vehemently inveigh against the voiding of the polls in Bruce and Mewtown as acts of violence to the " will of the? sovereign people." The keeping of an hotel is neither an illegal nor an iniquitous business. It is sanctioned both by law und by publicopinion ; it supplies a legitimate want : and it can be carried on quite respectably b$V respectable men and women. To fling about indiscriminately such epithets as we huvu mmitioned is sheer ravings. Again, as to the " will of the sovereign people " jye may ask if the decision of a .majority of those \y»o voted (which is not always a majority of the people) in any electorate is superior to an Act of Parliament behind which, presumably, is the \vjll of the whole people ? We have no sympathy ..whatever with the ungoverned passion of these extremists and we cannot believe in Prohibition as the final solution of ' the liquor problem, but in this election we most h«a,rtUy support the Prohibitionists' candidates because we believe that under their supervision the trade will be sensible of control, und control, stern, unrelaxing control, is absolutely indispensable in .the liquor traffic. We recommend this" view to our readers, but as a last word we urw that whether they favour th« Prohibition "ticket" or t"ne other, or prefer a Licensing bench composed of a selection from each ticket, the electors should not neglect to vote on an issue so important. If it is**lcsirable that the will of the people should be known in any question it is in this, und it rests with the people themselves to sny whether the election to-day shall be a trW indication of their will or not.