A Temperance Humorist.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 86, 8 October 1895, Page 3

A Temperance Humorist.

Sir Lawson, speaking at a neat temperance demonstration ai Serby. recently, said it was once .said it a debate at the Oxford Union that Mi Bass was a benefactor to society, bui since that day the children have beei taught to sing — Uttle drops of Alisop, Little drops of Bass, Take away the senses And make a man an ass. (Much laughter). It was once said tc him, "Lawson, if you will give up that Permissive Bill of yours, I'll settle a pint of beer on you as long as I live." He replied, "My dear Mr Bass. I could not do it under a barrel." (Renewed laughter. He used to be called an itinerant agitator " ; now he was described as " a blinkered enthusiast." He didn t know what that was, but thought it must be something very bad. The Bishop of Chester had spoken of drink as a "good creature of God." Of course it was ; so -was a tiger. A tiger was created by God, but just imagine one walking into the Bishop of Chester's palace. The Bishop on seeing it would say, " Take {he creature away to the dissenting minister's home"— (Great laughter). He (Sir Wilfred) was not going to say that bis right hon. friend's Bill was a perfect Bill. There was nothing perfect m this world, except that now and then they met with a perfect fool. (Laughter). The great beauty of the Bill was that it had nothing to do with compensating publicans. Compensation was another word for confiscation of the hard earnings of the people. When a man made money by drink it was the custom of the Prime Minister of the day to say, •• Friend, come up higher ; come to the House of Lords, the Bishops have need of thee."- (Great laughter.)