PROHIBITION AND NON-COMPENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 72, 4 July 1910, Page 7

PROHIBITION AND NON-COMPENSA-TION.

To the Editor. ( Sir,—ln the recently published "Let-1 tera of John Stuart-Mill," the following passage occurs, which I commend to the attention of your local option readers: "A few wbrds on this subject of compensation. It appears.to me that when a great alteration is made in institutions which have existed from a very early period of history with general approval, any expense, loss, or other in-, convenience which has to be temporarily incurred, cannot justly be laid on latiy one class, but ought to be fairly shared by the whole community who are to benefit by the reform." This seems to be so self-evident a proposition, and so strictly in conformity with our Lord's rule—known as the Golden Rule —"All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them; for this is the law and the prophets," —that had we not proof to the contrary we should expect all calling themselves Christians willing to act on it. The "all things" here mentioned certainly include the licensed victuallers' business. Mr. Gladstone said precisely the same as Mr. '■Mill on this very matter of local opj tiori, which I was much pleased to see !'my old friend Bishop Hatch—the first native Australian to rise to that eminence—so strongly and forcibly denounce the other day. Mr. Mill had the propositions of Socialism is mind when he wrote as above, and a thought arises here on that subject. If, by their superior organisation and perfervid oratory the teetotal party succeed in carrying Dominion prohibition and the wiping out of all property and capital connected with the liquor trade without compensation, will they subsequently have any right to object to the confiscation of their own property by the Socialists, to whom they will thus give a precedent, and who have as strong a prejudice against all private property as they have to that of the publican and brewer?—l am. etc., , B. ENROTH.