NO-LICENSE METHODS. Often Pretty Low Down.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 268, 19 August 1905, Page 6

NO-LICENSE METHODS. Often Pretty Low Down.

" TJ ITTING below the belt," and M. J| endeavouring to damage a man's career by insinuation 01 innuendo, is not exactly what most people call "British/ This is a prop os of a case brought by Mr. Thomas Molison Smith, of Karaka Bay, Wellington, against Robert Wilson, a Prohibitionist minister, joined with Frederck Ernest Mackenzie, for an aneged libel printed in a paper published by defendants, and making serious imputations against plaintiff's character as a solicitor. • * ■» There wasn't any need to drag plaintiff into the Prohibition paper, except to show, in that particularly venomous way that is characteristic of the "cause," that the plaintiff wasn't a Prohibitionist. It is a crime unspeakable to many Prohibitionists that a man does not see eye to eye with them. It is sufficient reason why he should be held up to contumely, ridicule, and contempt. The mere fact of a man being known to drink beer is a sufficient reason for many Prohibitionists to libel him by word of mouth or word of pen. • • • It is no exaggeration to say that libels are absolutely common from the No-License platform and in the Nc*-License press. The Prohibitionists kick, and kick hard, but the man who kicks back is an abandoned ruffian. The person who defends his position on the Bung side is an unspeakable creature, of whom anything that ill-taste may dictate may be said. Father Hays is, unfortu--nately, about the only Prohibitionist who, while fighting the traffic, has not slandered individuals. • • ♦ How is it that Prohibitionists in fighting a cause that is in itself noble enough constantly descend to venomous personalities ? Isn't their case strong enough without endeavouring to rum people ? Why should it be necessary for the defendants in the action named to withdraw the charges against the plaintiff ? Why, indeed, are charges made that have to- be withdrawn? More power to fhe Bung-Pump fight. Let Pump fight cleanly, and without abuse, and not tie himself into knots because Bung has the exceeding bad taste to> hit back. • » » The average person has a pretty hard struggle to make a crust without being rushed by professional Prohibitionists who, because he has something to drink with his crust, want to make it impossible for him to either eat or drink. Fair play is bonny play — and the average Prohibition play during several past months is not bonny play.