LORD DERBY ON TEMPERANCE

Dunstan Times, Issue 887, 18 April 1879, Page 3

LORD DERBY ON TEMPERANCE

In a speech at line late on January 2, Lord Derby thus referred to the Temperance question : There is one o her matter on which I hope I‘may say a word without offence lam not. goino to five you a lecture on what is called teetotalism. If that rule of life be a.duty, for one class, it is equally a duty for, all, and I never have seen my way to the conclusion that it is a duty, though I honour those who for the sake of example and- social usefulness, sacrifice a lawful indulgence. But not the less, the fact remains that if t m quantity of liquor and tobacco consumed in the Brit-, ish Isles were' reduced-by one half, besides all other incidental advantages, you Would have effected a reductionjn axation, mai-ly for the henetit of the working classes, to the amount of twenty millions sterling. The figures are public an 1 well-known. IJtakc them as given for last year You pay I 40,5(10,000 of taxes in Customs and Excise for those articles alone—very convenient, no doubt for persons interested in a . large national outlay, and, as 1 said before, there are a good many of them. They will never find .any other tax (hat will paid with a * little enquiry, but if merj could manage that, little reduction of one-half, which after all, does not imply the adoption of very ascetic habits by our people, don’t you hink that besides the comfort, the gain anb health besides fewer paupers, and less work for.the police, we should have done something for the cause of peace; (Cheers.) This is a matter for the people more than for the State. The State, I think, is often injudiciously accused. It does not force, or induce men to drink; on the contrary, it fines them pffetty heavily for drinking. A working man, who is a teetotaler, pays lower taxes --Isayit with confidence—than in any country, of the world. In fact, except oil his tea orcoffee. he hardlypays taxes at all. It is in his power to emancipate himself almost entirely from the,, taxgatherer if he choose, while by his. vote he retains power over the national outlay. To what extent he will do so denends upon himself and on his own class; I say advisedly on his own class,Jbecause in practice, as we kqow, itis che opinion of those with whom we are daily and habit ft ally atisficiated that influences oiir lives. I tell you, therefore, as working men, if you wish your class to have social power cortespondin» to the political power which they now possess, bring your opinion effectively to bear upon this question of temperance (Cheers.) It is a collective quite as much as an indivifinal interest. All reforms are akin, and of all reforms that lie ready to your hand, it is the most urgent, the most practical,, the greatest in its social as well as personal results. (Renewed applause.)