ANOTHER PROHIBITION LECTURER.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 82, 4 October 1897, Page 2

ANOTHER PROHIBITION LECTURER.

(TO TEE EDITOR.) Sir,— Again our town Las been honoured with a vieit from a Prohibition lecturer of some repute. He is, I understand, a star of the fourth or filth mag* uitude whose light on the important subject of Prohibition is derived chiefly from a magio lantern of no very great power, but which he manipulates with considerable skill. Aided by the light thus bonowed he discourses very fluently ou the various subjects showing the evils of attemper - auce and the triumph* of te(a)totalism under the moral suasion sjstcxj, which it the proper ground from a secular standpoint on which to advooate the movement. Mr Crabb's remarks as to tlio use of

alcohol boing conducive to the wellboing of the building up of the State is au absurd way of putting the question. No sensible person contends that the many luxtirit s peculiar to our civilisal ion tend to build up or iv my way improve man's conditiou menta ly, mot-

ally, or pLysiciilly ; and certainly uo one will say that alcohol is au ai liv this direction, savo as a lucdiciue. Men take it not because it is r uecos>jty, but because there in ploasuro iv its use, although, too oftou fatal iv it-» abuse, Just as ruou ami womlii dress extravagantly, or ride iv luxurious carriages, or build graud houses, or buy elegant

fnruiture, or wear costly juwell ry in short, dress in purple and live linen, aud fare sumptuously evtry day — they things, like alcohol, are superfluous aud by no means helpful to rnau's elevation, or necewary to his comfort ; thus, his contention being really utilitarian in character, brings him i" contact, not with the vendors of alcoholic beveia£<?K only, but with tin? dealers in all those articles which minister to the luxury of mankicd. The undertaking is greatly beyond the « ipari-.y c.l the lecturer to deal with, who has not yet lonnd a rpmedy for the ;i'uko of alcohol, but is darkly following the pr.iss fivown aud disused path of total liquor prohibition. With regard to the .'Kcal nspeet of the question it would he merely a waste of time and pi\per to di<-eir-s it at length at this stage. The whole measure is entirely wrong in priiu-iple mid irreducihle to practice with success as pro\ed hy its failure in its birth-place and el-cwliove. The incident of taxation in connection therewith being a detail, although an important one, needs little comment now. At tne same time it is noticeahle that Mr Crabb with the gi-iK-rosity and justir-e peculiar to his cla^^. would shunt the whole burden of tnxntion on the lnnd occupier and owner with the assurance that it would be for his especial benefit. and advises him to try it. It is just possible that they might decline without thanks and retort by advising our lecturer to obtain a l>iogene-' residence und apparel as a protest a.u'ain.-,t the luxuries of modern civilization. Mr Crabb. you are off the track. There i- a right way; Beck it. T am, kc J.li.R.