The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1911. PROFESSOR SALMOND'S BLUN. DER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12765, 16 June 1911, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1911. PROFESSOR SALMOND'S BLUN. DER.

"0' that mine enemy would write a took!" Judging by the cheerful alacrity with which Dr. William Salutond's recent treatise in defence of the Liquor Traffic has been assailed by a leading light in the No-Licenso party : the book is. welcomed, fey those whom it [ challenges. It would scarcely be in good taste to compare the reverend doctor to a Goliath coming forward to do battle on behalf of the Philistines, nor would it be quite kind to liken his opponent to the youthful David, albeit his missiles are so smooth and that ho would appear to have several left to piace 'in the. no-license sling if required. Two books on blunders each by a man of high repute, and on such a very much alive subject as the drink question arrests., attention and compels a verdict from the reader. Dr. Salmond stands out in the academic world as Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy in the University of Otago, Dune- I din, and it is not surprising that a book against No-li: ense from him should receive tho enthusiastic appreciation of j the organ of the Liquor Trade. When nearly four months ago Professor Salmond created a sensational'interest by publishing ''Prohibition a Blunder" his I'igh position and undoubted scholarship lent wings to its dissemination, .•md from the end of February to the { beginning of April it passed "thron^r ! five editions. Mr. A. S. Adams,* tho keenly alert lawyer, also of tho •southern capital,> well-kno-K n throughout New Zealand as one of tho most : trusted loaders o f th-.< No-License party. i When Dr. Salmond's book- carno out i Mr. Adams at th,- request of. th« Editor | of tho " Otago Daily Times,"" wrote a' criticism upon it. The demand of tho ■ readers of that article, and a similar \ one in tho ."Outlook," is responsible j for th:? nhuty-six page book now selling ' ai the book stores under the title "Pro" lessor Salinond's Blunder" with a sub- | heading "Prohibition m Effective Social -Rnform." And' really, apart from the merits or dements of either .Production, it would seem a blunder for +lre: -cloistered scholar to expose him.Jblf.by;soinewlmt antiquated argumonts JiCHovor good, to the rattle of tho np> to-date artillery of. a keen dialectician in closo touch n-ifh the life of the . peo . ! pie and pra tioal reform experiments, and especially with respect to the mat-' ler in. hand. .Mr. Adams makes a good e'eal of capital out of the apparent lack of due inquiry, by one who sots out to-bo a teacher on a great nationalquestion, Into what he insists upon ••is a new and effective reform, viz.

ITohibition, Evidently to Mr. Adams' the course advocated without legislative dici is :i caso of "The spoilers make tnerry while the public conscience sleeps." The-proposition of Dr. Salmond that "prohibition must be limited to acts and usages inherently bad" Mr. Adams avers is in opposition to "modern thought and universal experience^" i •'in direct conflict with common law I und common-sense," <7a ludicrous mis- j representation made blindly and without consideration or inquiry." The on- ! set by the lawyer on the professor's pages never wavers. As the little lady hard pressed by her calumniators ehal- j lenged them to "put it down in yit-.-j ing" ; so clearly spread^ before the eye or tho temperance expert is the writing o c the philosopher, ready for his merry assailment with lawyer-like precision. The vigorous style in which "Professnr tSalmond's Blunder" is written may be judged from the following excerpt in the oarly part, of the, book:—.,

''The arguments presented by Dr. Salmond are mainly those- which, stated in many different forms, were, current in the later decades of last century. The pamphlet echoes thevoices of the past. The-antiquated objections, based upon interpretations of Scripture, the political principles of the old "laissez-faire' school; the philosophy of Aristotle and of Plato (whose prohibition of wine till a man reaches the age of 40 years must, however, have been nn unpalatable morsel); tho long-exploded doctrine that legal prohibition ought to bo strictly conlincd to acts! and usage?; which are inherently bad (which puts out of, Court threefourths of all modern legislation); the wholesale condemnation of'sumptuary laws, with a very wide interpretation af 'sumptuary' in that connection; the bogey of tho seven devils who will inlallibly take possession of a community if drink, be' banished from it; the amazing CDnfusion between the rights .-md duties of society, and personal liberty arguments; the anarchist contention that the law will not be (and by almost necessary interference ought not to be) obeyed; the contempt for recent inquiry, and the conclusions of., eminent scientists, sociologistSj and penolog-. ists, jvvith world reputations; the de^-; jneciatipn of statistics, etc.; the scorn-' t'ul reprobation of his fallen brother, who has not been proof against the potent influence ;of • alcdhol—all are there— and nothing more/ \

It must not be ""gathered from this that Professor Salmond?s boole is. not well done in its' way. A reply is needed or it would not be in the field, aiid as Mr. Adams .himself says, Dr. Salrnond's position and reputation in the community entitle his arguments to con-, federation and respect•: Candidly, however, the two books might have:been written for two separate periods of history. The one is clearly the work of th« philosopher and student; with a la kward .look; tlae other is manifestly -the output of it man of affairs with' much evidence of intimate knowledge, of the workings and-a mastery "of the principles and position of the No-Lic-ense movement, *';^lie assurance with which Mr. Adarae.,se?k to ielegate to the pasb Dr. Salmond's weapons of warfare is probfibly strengthened by hvs rejoicing in the fact that fifty millions of people havo through the bal-lott-box j)lacefl their veto ' upon tho traffic in intoxicating drink. Dr. Sal-'----■inond cannot avoid even in tho first dozen lines of his preface a quotation each from Plato and Epi.tetus, and tli,roiigho.utr._.tbe.. pages .are . here and there the Latin phrase or word. His treatise lacks ■% heart thought it deals ably in some parts with the. question arid emphasises arguments which, notwitiistanding the reply, will be. heard . rn'any times in the campaign. It is unfortunate ?n that it seems to produce an impression of aloofness from the common life and the common, interests of tho worker. We will not be surpn'sed if, from some quarters, it is assailed as a piece of class or caste literature while at the same" time it purports to speak in the interests of the people as a. whole. To elicit such'an answer, as Mr. Adams's, pamphlet is to, serve iho cause of Nb-license, and unless the Liquor Party can tempt Dr. Salniond into tlit> arena again or bring forth «.omo olUer champion, not' abler perhaps, hub with newer and keener weapons, his book on "Prohibition ;i Blunder will not help th?ir cause. It has with its reply furnished a text for dozons of No-License speakers bewildered fo). lack of some current circumstance" as v starting point from which to work, it has given expression to some things latent in the- minds of many ancl thus has made it possible to deal with the doubt unsatisfied because unexpressed and met in fair field of debate. Although some may be inclined oven to suggest that the whole thing was arranged and that the attack and ; i-pply. is part of one scheme to advance j tha interests of the No-License section, J we believe Dr. Salmond to bo quite j f-inoere in His arguments..' What does ; impress the? impartial reader before go- ! in.U far into the.'reply'is the evident j c-jtse and relish with ivhi:h" each objection is taken hold'of'and dealt'with, j There is no hesitation, no confusion, ' •i.-'it a dear drive through the mar- j sl;all(Kl objections to the place of tri- ■ i:mph. Not only on its cleverly reason- t ed conclusions doss Mr. Adams's work

appear to advantage, but his close and accurate knowledge of the Scriptural p rgiirnent becomes of groat interest to '• the reader. Ho overhauls his learned and reverend opponent and gives evidence oi clearer yrasp of the matter in hand.' Thus-while Dr. Salmond assumes tin; right to use tlic word "wino'* as a gen- j irr?9 'term i'or all alcoholic beverages. i nnri states tJi:«.t such a method will bo i harmony wibh the ii.se and wont of S.ripture. Mr. Adams replies that ';oi: the alcoholic beverages now in use only ?. very few answer to the description oi" the fermented wines .in Scripture, "lie ait of distillation was not known till centuries after the sacred records were closed, and the spirits and fortif:ed wines so largely consumed now voi'e also unknown" We are not propnrod to judge of the full value of the 'Scriptural argument dealt in at considerable Jength by both writors, Lut 'certainly the veply gives the greater evidence of car:eful and exact study and closely reasoned premises lend up briskly to convincing conclu-' sions which makes one almost sorry for the other side. Also with regard to Dr. Snimontl's references to history, his opponent with quick springy step

grasps them aiid'eagerly."enters the lists to prove th"at "the prpfessbr's Jhis- t tory, too, is somewhat faulty." But the interest of the treatise by| Mr. ; . Adams : increases as we go: more .\ forward; to - tije functions of-governmentj the^qties--<jv^ tion of causation in ' relation;* to the r drink evil, and Professor Salmohd's . neglect of recent evidence and information easily ascertainable, J 'quite, inex- r cusable in a Doctor of Divinity and a Professor of Meutdl and Monil Philoeopliy.'' Tluv grjp.'pf thor.Vritei- of '■Professor Salmond's Blunder" is vory tight upon many of the assertions of his Qppbnentl a.nd ; >vith masterly hand i the Professor's theses are held ;up to ■■ the incandescent light of fact and ex- • | perience. To us there seem no escape. ! Tho rapier's thrusts of his opponent are keeh> and clever, yet withall given in perfect fairness. Such a discussion I if continued will be an intellectual duel • over a matter of vital concern to the whole community; It is an animating and arousing, occurrence before; a genoral election and it will be interesting to observe whether Dr. Salmorid will raise his hand-to nullify the crushing treatment of his book^y Mr. Adams. Ir. view of the approach of the referendum tho impottance of the matter treated in both pamphlets should s'e- I cure for them an honest "persual arid ! examination from the citizens of Wan- . ganui. The case for prohibition is I summed up as follows:— "The right to prohibit tho manufacture*, importation, jind sa!o of alcoholic beverages is based upon tho fact that the danger to thi public arising from drinking and drunkomipss is so groat as to justify and roquiro such prohibition." It is contended that Professor Salmond has, ieilly . failed to grasp tbo first principles underlying the prohibition movement. Tho right of oach state to protect itself and its members from the injury j i'nd loss caused by "social acts, and to make and enforce laws to that end, t lies at <the foundation of society. Bq-f->re giving very striking facts and figlaes on crime', disease, and insanity i<He.->tod by tbo highest medical and., ether authorities as well' as reference to the fact that '"The children sob in ilio silenco curses' deeper than tho tirong man ill his wrath." It is statod that "prohibitionists allege that the traffic in alcoholic beverages is one of •In* most hurtful agencies in existenco; i'iat it is signally injurious to the state , in that it indiicos and encourages , t tli inking?,-w hich in turn adds enormousiy to tho burdens of the state. Thoy iiMego that recent scientific^ research has demonstrated that the old notions of the food, vj<lho of alcohol arc 'mi,stakon, and that, on the contrary, tlo effect of its use in uniformly harmful mi proportion io that use and tho :.aseeptibility of the u>>er. nicy say tliat all plans of dealing with this State problem, short of that proposed? by thorn have proved inefficient, and that, on the other hand the success of prohibition has been demonstrated." For ourselves we have found, but for the thirst for first hands verification Incoming to v Proiss article, mo liavo boon quite safo in taking tbo main thread of' the argument from tho liberal quotations in VPi'ofessor Salinond't, Blunder." Tt may bo woll. iicwevor,-{ir. a timo like this to caro-~ fully stndv both production aiul to rcinember that ''the rosponsibility is i:pon the. individual to act and vote upon his unprejudiced convictions'.."