Easter Temperance Demonstration.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 234, 8 April 1896, Page 2

Easter Temperance Demonstration.

o In moving a resolution at tbe Temperance Demonstration at Feilding, on Easter Monday, Sir Robert Stout said tbat to understand what the " Trade" ■was we must know what were the results. Tbat day, whilst sitting with bis old friend Dr Monckton, they bad been trying to call to mind bow many men tbey knew wbo went into the wilderness of Otago in the early days, had died through drink and tbey could count three out of every four who had so died. Drink was carrying away the the best men out of the community. We were moved with the greatest sympathy when we heard of the Brunner mining disaster, and we thought of the mangled bodies of the victims, the heart rending cries of widows and orphans and we tried to help them, but there were worse disasters in New Zealand than that at Brunner. Drink is killing more men every year tban what died at Brunner. He said just sit and write down tbe names of all your relatives, and see if none of them have been killed or injured through the drink, and then ask yourself what you are doing to remove the curse. Then think of the waste through drink. We spend more tban £2,000,000 every year upon it. We had no need to go to tbe London capitalists for help, for did we not waste these .£2,000,000 or more ? We need not talk of our unemployed, poverty, and want of capital, while this waste is going on. We were told that we must regulate tbe traffic. In tbe Old Land he lived surrounded by the sea — in fact, be bad never lived a month away from tbe seaside in bis life — aud they bad boats with a hole in the bottom fastened up with a plug, wbicb they took out when tbey wished to empty tbe boat of water, but suppose tbey went to sea with the nole unplugged the boat would soon leak. What then must tbey do, bale out the water and so regulate things, or stop the leak? Why, stop the leak of course. So with the drink, stop tbe leak, stop the tap ; each one abstain, and then call upon the State for help to remove the standing temptation. What is Liberalism and the aim of a Liberal ? It was to lift the people to a higher plane of life and help them to live happy lives, and not simply getting gocd berths for themselves or giving good billets to tbeir friends. If we are Liberal, we ought to trust the people to settle tbis question by a bare majority. A majority may not always be right, but it is tbe keystone on which all true Liberalism is built. Tbe State has given the drink trade its present privilege and monopoly, and the people of the State should be able to say when this privilege or monopoly shall cease in the same way as they would deal witb any other question of public interest, namely, by a simple majority. In a democratic country one must count as one, and the " miserable minority " must convert themselves into a majority and then ask for tbeir wisbes to be carried out, but if we are a minority it is strange the majority are so frightened of us. Look at the progress made in tbe temperance cause during the last twentyfive years. The drink was going, and it must go, for mankind is growing in knowledge, human brotherhood, and sisterhood, and the more educated men are the more will they be inclined to sympathise with our cause. The settling of the question rests witb the people and not the politicians. Let the people of New Zealand see that men are returned to the House who bave sympathy witb reforms, not men wbo will sit in Bellamy's trying to understand the temperance question by drinking whiskey. Such men are not temperance men, neither have they any sympathy with true reform. We seek for power as a means to an end. We had votes and should use tbem, for a thousand votes unused would be useless. The cry is rising, " What are you going to do with tbis question ?" Women, think of your sisters who bave fallen by the way, and perhaps only too soon one of your own family may fall. Look at that poor woman in tbe box. Once she was a girl, loved by her mother and the joy and pride of tbe home circle, but she drank and she fell. Women of New Zealand, use your power and let the world see you are thinking of our race und have the welfare of humanity at heart. Your motto is, " For God, Home, and Humanity." How many homes are ruined by drink ? Scarcely a day passes but women come to his ofiice with tales of sorrow which told of homes ruined by drink. Think of the hereditary taint — children born without a fair chance. He instanced a family which he knew, in which eight or ten drunkards had gone to the grave, all sons and daughters of a drunken mother. Mothers were able to injure their unborn children. Abstinence should not be sacrifice, but sbould give happiness, for drink is not necessary for |physical strength, brain power, or morality. Think of home and give up the drink for the sake of your weaker brethren and sisters. Think of those you have to take care of, wbo may not have your strength of will, and try and save them by your example. We are told tbat we are faddists or one-eyed men. Could it be wondered if even we were faddists when we see the evil caused by the trade. Go forward, hoping to make New Zealand a free, happy country, discharge your duty, and whcu you come to your dying hour and are able to view your past life you will be glad to think you fought for " God, Home, and Humanity." Carry your banner on to victory, you are doing your best for " God, Home, and Humanity." May victory soon be ours.