第 42 节
作者:谁与争疯      更新:2021-02-19 00:36      字数:9322
  sentence for all law is wisdom。 It might have read: 〃All statutes not based
  on wisdom; are a menace to the state。〃 Then at the base of the statue
  of a soldier; on the other side of the entrance; was this statement: 〃We
  do not use force until good laws are defied。〃 Which ought to read: 〃We
  do not use force until laws are defied。〃 Such ideas as these are corrupting
  courts; and biasing the public mind; and the injury is more than apparent
  to the observer。 If law is not a standard; what standard can we
  have? We must have one。 We repeat again: 〃Law commands that
  which is right and prohibits that which is wrong。〃 Any statute that does
  this is lawful。 Any that does not; is anarchy。
  God is truly the author of law。 The theocratic form of government
  was perfect and the only perfect government that ever existed; we need
  no other statutes than those that God gave。 He said: 〃We must not
  kill a bird sitting on her young; must not see our enemy's beast fall under
  his burden and not help him rise。〃 And the refinement of mercy was
  taught in the statute that said: 〃You must not kill the mother and lamb
  in one day; must not seethe a kid in its mother's milk; must not muzzle
  the ox that treadeth out the corn。〃 The use; and the only use; of law is
  to prevent and punish for sin。 All law has a penalty for those who violate
  it。 Governments that are the greatest blessing to its citizens are those
  who can prohibit; or abolish the most sin or crime。 Crime is not prevented
  by toleration; but by prohibition。 Nine of the ten commandments
  are prohibitive and begin with: 〃Thou shalt not。〃
  The success of life; the formation of character; is in proportion to
  the courage one has to say to one's ownself: 〃Thou shalt not。〃 It is
  not the man or woman who has no temptation to sin; who has the strong
  character; but the man or woman who has the desire but will not yield
  to sin。 Some people ask: 〃Why did God make the Devil?〃 The Devil
  is God's fire。 Like an alchemist God is purifying souls。 The Devil is
  an agent in salvation。 〃Every Devil in hell is harnessed up to push every
  saint into heaven。〃
  Those who are counted worthy to enter into the delights of that
  heavenly land are those who have had their 〃fiery trials;〃 tried and made
  white。 Man would have no credit and could not hear: 〃Good and faithful
  servant;〃 if he had no temptations to do otherwise; man would be
  but a mere machine。
  God has never used for his work; any but those who prohibit evil。
  The pilgrim fathers were forced from the mother country because this
  principle of prohibition burned in their hearts。 When England would
  oppose the colonies; it was prohibition that smashed the tea; over in Boston
  harbor。 George Washington was put at the head of the colonial
  armies that prohibited; by much bloodshed and suffering; the oppression
  from the mother country。 Our Civil War was the result of the principle
  to abolish or prohibit the slavery of the colored race。 Now we have a
  worse slavery than England threatened us with or the poor blacks suffered
  at the hands of their taskmasters。 This slavery of soul and body;
  is one that leads to eternal death。 The forces of God are with the abolition;
  or prohibition of wrong。 The forces of darkness and death are with
  those who are willing to be led captive by the Devil at his will; and to
  lead others under this grievous yoke of those who are trying to perpetuate
  the cause of evil。
  There are men who desire to be loyal; who are voting for license
  or in license parties; because they do not stop to think。 The people are
  generally right on all questions。 They go wrong more for lack of thought;
  than for lack of heart。 Edmund Burke; the greatest English stateman;
  said: 〃The people have as good government as they deserve。〃 Because
  the people have always had the power; and in America especially; they
  are sovereign。 The president and all others in office; are but servants
  of the people。 In another chapter I have given what the supreme court
  says about the impossibility of licensing wrong by law; or according to
  law。
  Hear the language of the Declaration of Independence: 〃We hold
  these truths to be self evident; that all men are created free and equal;
  that they are endowed by their creator; with certain inalienable rights;
  that among these are life; liberty; and the pursuit of happiness; that to
  secure these rights; governments are instituted among men deriving their
  just powers from the consent of the governed。〃 The licensing of intoxicating
  drink results in suicide and murder; whether or not the saloon…
  keeper or state be held responsible。 Some one is。 Who? The man who
  consents to or aids by his vote is most criminal。 It is said that drink
  kills a man a minute。 Suppose that we had a war that killed a man every
  five minutes。 Would there not be howling for an end of bloodshed。 This
  is more than ten times worse; for the soul is more valuable than the
  body。
  Freedom or liberty in animals is following instinct and underlying
  appetite。 Not so with man; to the reverse。 It is the freedom of conscience
  and will; from the bondage of ignorance of the person; the gratification
  of appetite and passion。 The body is a good servant; but a tyrant
  when it is master。 A man must be master or slave。 One must first; like
  Daniel; 〃purpose in his heart that he will not defile himself〃。 Liberty
  or freedom is only attained by prohibition of opportunity to do wrong
  to ourselves or allow any one else to do so。 Citizenship not only requires
  one to obey law but must see that others do so also。
  The principles of government are founded on liberty and self…control。
  Drunkenness is a loss of self…control。 Anything that animalizes men;
  is a menace to the life of the state and prevents the purpose of government。
  Thus replacing the weapon of destruction in the hands of its foes
  and the danger is great; because so many citizens are under the domination
  of their own will and passion。 This class is being multiplied by
  this licensed crime。 These willing classes are an integral part of the
  nation。 By licensing rum; we are fostering a power that is increasing
  the weakness; and preventing the self…control of its citizens。 This is
  conspiracy; treason; black as night。 Some plead the revenue of our
  wealth。 Our wealth is in our citizens。 The state can not add to its
  treasury at the expense of its manhood without punishing herself。 The
  state must guard the character of its citizens。 It can not make them
  honest but it must punish dishonesty; can not make them humane; but
  it must prohibit an act of inhumanity; and should oppose and forbid
  every license that man would desire or try to obtain that which would
  allow such gratification of the animal over the moral。
  The nation is what its homes are。 The family first; then the nation。
  Nothing can injure an individual or a family that is not an injury to
  the state。 The fight for firesides means a fight for our national life。
  Our revolutionary sires fought for this。 This is the fight that Carry A。
  Nation is making。 It is the heart of love; liberty and peace。 Some of
  these thoughts I have copied from an article I read on a few leaves of a
  torn pamphlet; no name。 But the writer has the true meaning of government。
  I am a prohibitionist because I am a christian。 I want to get
  to heaven。 None but prohibitionists ever do。 Hell is made for those
  who take license to sin。
  HELL'S CONSPIRACY。
  England has the same struggle that we have。 The government conspiring
  against the people。 This article from the pen of Lady Carlisle
  tells of the same vile plot the Prime Minister of England sustains; the
  brewer against the people; just as Roosevelt and his crowd here:
  THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE LIQUOR TRADE。
  (Spirited appeal by Lady Carlisle。)
  Throughout the past year we have been face to face with a grave
  crisis in the history of our temperance movement; but the present Session
  of Parliament is the moment of our most imminent peril。
  In March; 1903; the Prime Minister; surrendering to the threats of
  the liquor trade; recklessly attacked the Magistrates because in the public
  interest they had here and there reduced the number of licensed houses;
  and he declared to the Brewer's Deputation that in so doing the Magistrates
  had been guilty of 〃gross injustice;〃 and that 〃to such unjust confiscation
  of property the Government could not remain indifferent。〃 In
  April the Government supported Mr。 Butcher's Compensation Bill; and
  in August Mr。 Balfour gave a pledge in the House of Commons that the
  Government would introduce legislation 〃at the earliest possible moment
  in the following Session;〃 which would put an end to the present 〃wide…
  spread feeling of insecurity on the part of English license…holders。〃
  Since the Prime Minister made these pronouncements; our forces
  have everywhere set themselves in array to fight the impending legislation;
  by which the 'Trade' is to be endowed at the expense of the nation's
  welfare; and is to have its privileges and its powers greatly increased。
  The government; having yielded to the dictation of the Publican interest;
  indicated that either the Magistrates must be hindered from exercising
  their ancient power