The Prohibitionist Campaign.

Thames Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8521, 27 November 1896, Page 2

The Prohibitionist Campaign.

[To tho Editor of The Thames Stab.]

- Sir,—lf the advocates of Prohibition hare no rron er arguments in support of their pet delusion than those adduced by Mr Brown, a> reporrednin your issue of the 25th inst., they may we'l complain of their difficulty in making converts to their selfish and short-sighted creed. His contention that the opponents <<f Prohibition wished to encroach on th* liberty of othets is perhaps the crudest, most illoical, moat one-sided, and the falsest statement that was ever enunciated from a public platform. I ut, granting for the sake of the argument that they do encroach—though the bald statement; unsupported t y proof, carries bat litt'e weight te an t one possessed of reasoning faculties—must he not admit that Prohibitionists interfere with the liberty of the individual when they endeavor to p ohibit the sale and purchase of alcoholic liquor. Can he deny that the stomachs or some of the most belauded of Prohibition orators ha*e revolted against the cold tea regime, to the detriment of their oratorial powers consequent on a lapse into more ntimu* latin;; beverage. The Probibiiion more* ment, according to Mr Brown, is a crusade not against drink" for he is careful to state that anyone will be allowed to make beer or wine for his • wn a«e—' ut aeainsl the licensed victuallers. It would almost seem that some of these gentlemen mu>t hare been refused a drink by some publican. Nothing short of that could account for the animus they display a.-ainst hotelkeepers en masse Thi< animus is, however, not dangeron* like the blind rush of some tnsky pachyderm, their unreasoning in atuaion. which with mnblnshing effrontery they term solicitude for their fellow-men, causes them to butt their craniuma, devoid of the power or will to exercise rr.liccinato y powers against the opposing wall of common sense. Yef, sir, while perforce we pi[y their delusion, let us of the moderate party recognise with dv» thankfu'nesa the assistance that, the intemperate utterances of ihese Temperance (?) leaders have given to our cause by the injury to ihei'S in the mind* of unprejudiced persons. Mr Isitt made a *cathing denunciation of the Am ican Synod recently he'd in Auckland. At their next meeting t**ey may weU consider the advisabiii y o' addia- (his petition to the Li; any " From prohibitionists, temperance orators, and such like, Good Lord deliver us."— I am, etc,

R. C. Long.

[To the Editor of The Thames Stak.]

Bib,—What is it that the teetotaller* want? Is it that, being afraid of taking a drop of beer themselves for fear of making beasts of themselves, they want t» force everybody to abstain? and, to do this, do they require all hotels to be closed? The question is, Will they get what they want by closing 1 the hotels? Then, again, why should these teetotallers object to my poisoning myself with beer? I am sure I have not the slightest objection in the world to their poisoning themselves with tea; and, for that matter, which is the more virulent poison of the two? The doctors condemn tea in no measured terms as being the cause of the decadence of our race and the weakening of our women. Tea came into use soon after the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Can anyone quote from any book anything about nerves and hysteria among the women of England before the time of Elizabeth? Queen Elizabeth took beer with her breakfast, dinner, and supper, and so did all her subjects. But we have improved on that. Look at the physique of our teetotallers —they are all robust men, stout, and good looking, Then see again how rich they are —roll'ag in money, the result of their saving! by abstaining from beer. By all means let us all turn teetotallers and become rich and fat —I am, &c,

Wjc. SanTM.

[To the Editor of the Tkaxes Stak.~| Sir, —In common with many I hare received a pamphlet issued by the New Zealand Alliance entitled " How to rote and why," I which contains a fund of information for beer swiUera instructing them how to rate—that •is if they are in a fit condition. It also includes numerous recipes, etc., and I was rather amused —in fact I might say I was amused —at reading the following :• — "A Nutritious Now-Alcoholic Made Drink.—One teacupful of crushed malt (as commonly sold in grocery stores) to three pint* of cold water and a small pinch of hops; let it boil up, and then simmer gently for fire minutes, .and strain over a tablespoonful of sugar." If my temperance friends go in for a good brew of this sort of " tack " they will doubtless find themselves much improved in condition ere long; for if this is not the real "mackay "—I meanjbeer—then I have leen a teetotaler all my life. This is something after the style of the plum wine that was all the rage down in Canterbury and which it is stated was consumed chiefly by our Prohibition friends. If you, sir, can point me out any difference between this recipe and XXX.X I should esteem it a favor.—l am, etc., Buxe. <