THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1969, 28 January 1914, Page 4

THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT.

■ "Sir, —Mr. William Richardson, the Prohibition evangel of Auckland, would probably bo offended if his effusion to you of January 21 passed unnoticed. My contention that the Prohibitionists have not proposed to make up tho Io3S of revenue but of their own pockest, that the carrying of their dog-in-the-fttanger policy would cause this Dominion, Mi , . Richardson dismisses in thesfl words: "It is only a baseless assumption that tho revenue would be lost," But Premier Massey said tho amount to be lost would bo £900,000, the Rev. Mr, Dawson said tho secretary of tho Prohibition movement said, £854,0U0 (vide The Dojiisiox, July 17, 1913). When Mr. Riehardson declares that this is "only a baseless assumption," nothing more need, be said. The jjoint remains, however, that tho Prohibition ists will not propose to tax themselves to make good the los 3 of revenue they trouid cause the country by tho imposition oE their nostrum.

.With fine wit, Mr. Bioharejson exclaims, "Drink is neither food, raiment, not shelter." Tin's is easy and truth fully paraphrased; "'Water, is neither food, raiment, nor shelter." "Fire, is neither food, raiment, nor shelter." No ono would dispute tlieso observations, yet drinking is necessary, water is necessary, and so is fire; still thousands annually lose , their lives by the misuse of any, or by their temptations and dangers when not under control. Mr. Richardson would prohibit drink and drinking—why not nVc and water ?

Mr. Richardson is not up-to-tlatc in his authorities. Ho says: "Medical Congresses have for many years past affirmed that drink is the greatest of all scourges." At the Medical Congross held in London last year Sir James C. Browne showed that since 1859 insanity had increased in Great Britain and Ireland by 276 per cent., while the population had increased by only 87 per cent.; and during that time the consumption of spirits nnd boor per head lied fallen from 1.60 gallon in 1800 to 1.38 gallon in 1010; and the drink bill has not been Kill millions for the past ten or twelve .years. It was 180 millions in 1898, and it was down last year to 137 millions) And pauperism and lunacy has been increasing, while crime has deceased and drunkenness alao, Further, your cablegrams last September made the announcement that "the medical press assorts that teetotallers arc more, liable to appendicitis than non-teetotallers, the alcohol acting; a.s an eupeptic Prophylactic (»n aid to good digestion), of appendicitis patieiite - vfas"ouo' in ten of teetotallers to quo in two hundred of users of alcoholic liquors." If I'rohibi.tion is carried, Prohibitionists will make it a crime for men and women to buy a glass of whisky or a glass of beer as a. preventive, of appendicitis. Are sober and intelligent men and women going to submit to sttch a tyrannous and dangerous, policy as Prohibition involves?

Air. Richardson supplies a lot o£ uneheckable ft2un;s about. Maine, Maseachussetta and Kansas; but 1 havo tako-ii the "Encyclopaedia Britaniiicn" and examined the progress of those States under .the bondage of Prohibition along with other States that have enjoyed freedom under* licensing, and the result is tJiftt under the bondage of Proinbition States and. towns are practically stagnant compared with the progress and prosperity of States and towns under.the freedom of a licensing system. Population is the true test of a country's prosperity, for if places aro flourishing and the condition*! make for peace and plenty, thwc the people will go and there the people will increase and multiply. Tnlw Maine. The population in 1890 was 061,000, and in lUOO' it Was 691,000, an increase of 5 per cent. This, under Prohibition. When Slaino adopted Prohibition she had 17 people to the square mile, and in 1800, after 40 ynara of Prohibition, she had SO Q.E.U.—Prohibition breeds stagnation.

Massachusetts adopted the same law as Maine . in 1852, and for twenty-three years she endured stagnation and Prohibition anil HI its iniquities till 1875, when licensing wag restored, a.iw.l since*; then, her progress has been phenomenal. Undw license her population increased by 25.S per cent, between IS9O-1900, vide Ency. Drit., p, 06!), new volumes. v To show what a* misconception Mr. William Richardson has of tins State, ho nays: "Massachusetts is largely under local No-Licoiise." Yet Prohibition was repealed in 1875, and licensing adopted, olid a State Prohibition proposal has since been rejected hy no fewer than 1<5.000 votes. " That is" what they think of Prohibition in Massachusetts after twenty4hi*ee years' trial and fifteen vcars of licensing, that vote having been <*ast in ISS9.' Biit Kansas is a Prohibition State, and its stagnation, like Maine's, is proverbial. Uβ population in' 1890 was 1,427,000, and iiiTJOO it was 1.470,000an increase in ten ywivs of forty-three thousand.—Vide Ency. Brit., p. 12, new vqlumee. Yet Mr. Richardson snj-s,, "This is unexampled prosperity." Kaiiess did not. _ retain her natural increase, under Prohibition. New Zealand under a licensing system did better. Her population was 625,500 in 1890, and in 19C0 it was 770,680, an increase of no less than 145,000. If Kansas increases in population by 43,000 and Now Zealand by 14.5,000 iii tho same New Zealand's increase is equal to an increase of 300,000 having regard to the fact that the population <rf Kansas was nioro than double that of New Zealand to start with. AnU the comparison emphasises how stagnant and depressed places become under Prohibition, Indeed all the towns in New Zealand that have adopted Prohibition havo not shown that prosperity and progress which increasing population demonstrates thai tho towns under licensing havo exhibited. Mr. Richardson, like all Prohibitionists who labour to bring this country under tho stagnating and destructive influences of Prohibition, complains Q.bont tl*c> three-fifths handicap. Havinra regard to tho ileprpssing cfl'ect the J'rohibitinnists havo upon th« owintry now, t-ko loss they would occasion th« lwomio, the temptations to vice, lirw-broahing, periury, and other forms of villainy that their regime would develop, making this country, like. Kansas, a good place to get out of, « three-fifths majority is not adequate to β-avo the State from tho continuoHs am! pesfcifcrous agitation of J'rohibitbnists, and it is time s-aHe men and women who *eek the prosperity and pence of this Dominion, put. an end to a movement that would destroy its prosperity aiid now keeps.tho country iii intolcVsblo turmoil,—l am, etc,, . . , TEMPERANCE.

CRICKET SELECTION. Sir,—What is wrong with Selector! Midline this time? Surely ho sJoes not think ha has get the best team together that Wellington can produce! If Auckland heat Canterbury and wo have to niako .1 Shield match with them, ho should have fjot tlm strongest- team possible to play-thorn. Just a look at the team and one is struck with the weakness of the. batting. Quinn ami Aldcrsly should never have been in the team, as neither men play Jik» representativeplayers, and in Baker ami Kinvig we nave two young- playois who should have boon anions the ilrsf. selotcd. By tlie way, I saw Kifcer butting last- Snturdey and I am quite safe in saying a bettor display thftn the one hegavoliaa not been given <n Wellington this sea* &m t and the decision that gave him nm out waSj to say the least, disgusting to'players hiid spectators alike Comments <m tne poor team selected arc heard on all sides. —I am, etc., BASIN RESERVE. MELANESI/sN "TUCK BOXES." Sir, —May I once again ask you for a little raiuabio space in your paper? It is just to remind your ma.iiy readers tht the "tuck box" campaign is about to begin. Your good and kindly Wellington folks need very little asking for any help; they arc always most liberal, and. what- 1 have every hope of is, thai they will continue in their goodness. My kind and capable helper, Miss Mcßtayer, of Sydney Street, Wellington, is good enough to receive- donations for inq, whether in money or in kind. Tile ship is announced to sail on March 2.% which is n- good fortnight before she usually goes. With many thanks for past favours, —I am, etc., LUCY CALDER. Wife of the Cotnmissary fe-r the Bishop of Melanesia. All Saiuts, Auckland, Jan, 23.