The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [93]
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