“WILL PROHIBITION PROHIBIT?”

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 25, 16 September 1893, Page 12

“WILL PROHIBITION PROHIBIT?”

TO THE EDITOR. Sik, —In your issue of last Saturday “Spectator ” says it is difficult to exaggerate the evils of drinking, and then asks if total prohibition would be a remedy for it. I wonder how he thinks it could he otherwise. “ Will it even decrease the evils of drunkness ?” he asks. Again I ask, if the sale of drink were prohibited, and as a consequence drunkenness diminished, how could it be possible that! its evils should not decrease ? He further asks “ will the evils, prohibition would bring be greater than those it was intended (o cure?” I have not yet learned that it would bring any evils. It might not, of course, stop the craving for drink in all, nor the attempts of those interested in its sale t > sell it slyly. But that would not be the result of prohibition. Anybody may see those things would be the result of previous drinking and the desire of gain, irrespective of the injury such sale would work on others. But who is asking for total prohibition ? This Spectator must have been gazing upwards, and not “looking on ” at all. We are only asking that districts which are prepared for it may be allowed to enforce it. Has Spectator anything to say against that ? Spectator’s letter demands further remarks, but I have not time now. 1 ’erhaps with your permission, I may resume the subject next week. Puebexan. [We have received a communication on the same subject Horn Mr T. Buxton, and will find space for it next week.—Ed. S. C.]