CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4294, 14 December 1892, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

Temperance Reform

(TO TUB EDITOR, Vi'AIRARAPA DAILY TIMES,)

Sin,—My attention has been cnlled to the fact that I have been guilty of what looks like an act of plagiarism, in using (ho words; "Made drunken by Act of Parliament," that furnished tV text for your courteous, but Bomehomily on Temperance and Charity in your issue of to day. I find that a good Eng-lislnnan-'a man great- as a man ol letters, and great <>s a Christian preacher—has described tho influence j of our liquor laws on the moral life of the people in tho identical words I used—words that you affirm are ex-j tiavagant and absurd. Archdeacon Farrar thus writes, in a recent number of tho " Review of the Churches," and his words furnish uu admirable reply fo your article: "Intemperance "is our national vico. . , , ai.d " it is directly promoted by our vicious "system of licensing. Is the, righte- " ous legislation which every earnest " reformer has so lonsj demanded, to " he retarded by such irrelevant inep- " titudes as that,' We cannot make a " people sober by Act of fatliainent 1 ; "or that, 'Temperance Reformers "usosuch inteuiperato language'; or "that,' we cannot, interfere with the "liberty of the subject'; or that, "' Vested interests are sacred'; or " that,' We prefer to see England freo "to England sober ?' Not make a " people sober by Act of Parliament ? " We only entreat that you should not " by Act of Parliament make or keep "them drunken} Temperance Re"formers use intemporate language ? "Put your fingers on your false "and exaggerated statement and "it shall be. withdrawn; but do " not brand as ' inteuiperato' the " language of burning indignation "necessary to rouse tho immoral " apathy of men whose hearts are us " fat as brawn,' Liberty of tho sub- " jeot ? Is it to he made synonomous "with the cruel infliotion of slavery "on tbe abject 1 Vested interests? "When tbat phrase was used to "O'Connell about slave owners ho " said that he started bb if one had "insulted his mother's grave and "asked if there oould be a vested "interest in the destruction of flesh " and blood. England free proferable "to England sober? The supposed " author of tbat epigram repudiated " with indignation tbe sense in which "it had been used, and in the sense "in which it is constantly used, but "which he repudiated—ibis a phrase " so senseless and so wicked tbat it " scarcely deserves the honour of a " parting kick. Its spurious cliarao- " ter ia attested by tho huge delight " wbioh it caused to all detenders of " our present fatal and soul-deßtroy- " ing curse."

In affirming in my Herinon that men were made drunken by Aot of Parliament I had no idea that Canon Fatrar or any other body had expressed thenieelves in the same way, I was only saying what overjstudent of social science knows to be true. By legislation you surround peoplo with a good or bad environment. Men .by our liquor laws here are surrounded by a drink environment in the shape of dram shops set up through the operation of an Act of Parliament. They are tempted to drink in these state-sot-up institutions and they become drunken, Temperauoe Reformers wish this drink environment changed, Prohibition will make such au environment that men will not be made drunken. Tho " wise men" who talk about men not being made sober by Act of Parliament require to take some very olomentary lessons on the nature of social progress. lam glad your article has given me the opportunity of placing before your' readers the words of this good English churchman. Farrar has no sympathy with the unholy M and Bible Alliance which has been the sbamo and disgrace of not a few churches. The featlnss courage of this true apostlo of christian charity should act as a moral tonio on all timo-serving ecclesiastics, journalists, and politician. Soma lower forms of animal life move forward by wriggling from side to side, In the world of human beings Mr Facing-both-ways is much impressed with this reptile raodo of -progress end tries to move forward in the same way. Not so Archdeacon Farrar, He stands erect and walks straight-for-ward.—l am, otc,

Eobert Wood.

Manse, Masterton, Dec 18,1892,