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Things That 9lre Happening
Nelvs Gleanings and Thoughts They "Bring
Should Liquor Dealers be Compensated?
The National Prohibitionist presents some notes
on this subject and copies a part of Judge Harlem’s
ruling in the famous Kansas case. We will copy a
part of that decision since it effectually closes the
courts against that question. The question raised
is this: Should the states that prohibit liquor
selling compensate the brewers and liquor men for
the destruction of their business?
In the Kansas case Judge Brewer lays down the
law on the broad ground that the liquor trade tends
to injure public morals and public health, to
jeopardize common safety and to waste public
resources. Under these conditions the states have
an undoubted right to legislate against such evil
consequences. The part of the opinion of the court
that we wish to use is as follows:
Keeping in view these principles as governing
the relations of the judicial and legislative de
partments of government with each other, it is
difficult to perceive any ground for the judiciary
to declare that the Prohibition by Kansas of the
manufacture or sale within her limits of intoxi
cating liquors for general use there as a beverage,
is not fairly adapted to the end of protecting the
community against the evils which confessedly
result from the excessive use of ardent spirits.
There is here no justification for holding that the
state, under the guise merely of police regula
tions, is aiming to deprive the citizen of his con
stitutional rights; for we cannot shut out of
view the fact, within the knowledge of all, that
the public health, the public morals and the pub
lic safety may be endangered by. the general use
of intoxicating drinks; nor the fact, established
by statistics accessible to every one, that the dis
order, pauperism and crime prevalent in the
country are in some degree at least traceable to
this evil. * * * *
“It is true that when the defendants in these
cases purchased or erected their breweries, the
laws of the state did not forbid the manufacture
of intoxicating liquors. But the state did not
thereby give any assurance, or come under an
obligation, that its legislation upon that subject
would remain unchanged. Indeed, as was said
in iStone v. Mississippi, 101 U. S., the supervi
sion of the public health and the public morals
is a government power, —‘continuing in its na
ture,’ and ‘to be dealt with as the special exi
gencies of the moment may require,; and that
“for this purpose the largest legislative discretion
is allowed, and the discretion cannot be parted
with any more than the power itself.’ So in
Beer Company v. Massachusetts (97 U. S. 32):
‘lf the public safety or the public morals re
quire the discontinuance of any manufacture or
traffic, the hand of the legislature cannot be
stayed from providing for its discontinuance by
any incidental inconvenience which individuals or
corporations may suffer.’ ”
The decision is found in vol. 123: U S Supreme
Court Reports 623. It was rendered Dec. 5, 1887.
The same question was up then 4hat the liquor
people are trying to raise now. It is further
remembered that in those very days, when the
liquor men had been driven out of Atlanta, the
courts gave notice that: If the liquor men should
come back —if the brewing company should re
establish their works —they would do so at their
peril, for they all had due and timely notice of the
danger before them.
n *
To The Prohibitionists and Temperance
People of Georgia.
The undersigned Board of Trustees of the A. J.
Hughes Memorial Home have decided to employ and
put into the field Rev. J. L. D. Hillyer, of Atlanta,
for the purpose of raising additional funds to erect
a Memorial Home to Bro. Hughes, one of the most
devoted and perhaps the most self-sacrificing pro-
The Golden Age for January 28, 1909.
hibitionists in this state during a long period of his
life, which is now enfeebled by the weight of years,
by the burdens borne, and sufferings endured in this
cause.
Dr. Hillyer, himself an ardent prohibitionist
for years and a friend, like hundreds of others, to
Mr. Hughes, has been good enough to consent to ad
dress audiences, see individuals, receive funds, and
remit the same to the treasurer, W. S. Witham, of
Atlanta, Ga. As a matter of information to the
public it might be stated that there has already been
raised in cash and subscriptions $1,179.40, of which
amount more than half is cash. Hereafter send do
nations to Dr. Hillyer at Edgewood, Ga., and he will
place the same in the hands of the treasurer, whosjp
receipt will be sent to each contributor.
It is the desire of the board of directors to raise
additional funds to bring the total amount up to
$5,000 as a minimum, for the house and lot, to be
selected by this worn out veteran himself, where he,
his afflicted wife and crippled child may spend the
rest of their days. We do not think $5,000 or $6,000
any too much to raise for the purpose named, espe
cially as the expenses of receiving the same
come out of the amount raised.
We would also impress the public, so far as we
may be able, not so much with the actual need of
this home for our brother and his family, as with the
fact that it will be an honor and a great pleasure
on the part of the prohibitionists of the state to
erect such a memorial. Very truly yours,
(Signed) C. I. Jamison,
Pres. Board of Trustees, Decatur.
A. B. Holderby,
Chairman Executive Committee, Atlanta.
W. S. Witham,
Treasurer, Atlanta.
Crawford Jackson,
Secretary, Atlanta.
John H. Reynolds, Rome.
W. W. Landrum, Atlanta.
John D. Walker, Sparta.
W. H. Morton, Athens.
J. T. Bryson, Greensboro.
Board of Trustees, A. J. Hughes Memorial Home
Fund.
I have been requested to undertake to bring this
matter before the people of the state. It will afford
me pleasure to do this service. lam sure many peo
ple will be glad to contribute to the proposed reward
of virtue and fidelity. It will be my plan to pursue
this end in every way practicable. I shall make
such use of the generous newspapers as I can. I
shall write some letters to those that may wait to
be reminded. I shall visit as many places as I can
in work for The Golden Age, and will take advan
tage of such opportunities to ask you to help in
this most worthy expression of appreciation. But
it will be impossible to see all who should be glad
to give us something. Therefore, do not wait, but
send your contribution to me. Act at once.
Very truly, J. L. D. HILLYER,
Edgewood Station, Atlanta, Ga.
M *
Holcomb 9 s Successful Meeting.
Rev. Walt Holcomb, evangelist,. Nashville, Tenn.,
reports the results of his evangelistic efforts, for
the year just closed. He has conducted fourteen
meetings in the different states, including Tennessee,
Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Missouri and
Virginia. He has preached 350 times and seen some
thing like 1,500 conversions and reclamations in his
meetings.
Most of the revivals have been union meetings,
while the others, in larger cities, such as Fort Worth,
Texas, Joplin, Mo., and Alexandria, Va., have been
single meetings.
In addition to his evangelistic work he has
preached, delivered temperance addresses and Chau
tauqua lectures in the following western states;
Illinois, Indiana, lowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Mis
souri.
Mr. Holcomb and his inger, Mr. Rountree, have
just closed a union tabernacle revival in Cartersville,
Mo., under the auspices of the Baptist, Southern
Methodist, Presbyterian and Methffdist Episcopal
churches.
"The Church of Christ.”
SY 91 LAYMAN.
Funk & Wagnails Co. Mr. J. A. Joyce, Sales
Agent, Pittsburg, Pa.
The publishers have brought out a very nice vol
ume on good heavy paper and excellent print, 5 1-2
inches by 8 1-2 inches containing 342 pages under
the above title. There is no clew to the identity of
the author.
The book is unusual in many respects and it is de
cidedly a good book in some respects. Indeed, for
the purposes for w’hich it was written, it is a very
good book, in most respects.
It is an unusual book because it is a sectarian
book from a non-sectarian or a pansectarian press.
I do not use the word “sectarian” harshly. It is
the proper historic and scientific word for this
place. Its root meaning is expressed in the verb to
“cut.” Christianity has been cut to pieces and
each piece is appropriately called by the Latin
word “sectum” which "means, “the part cut off,”
the English is “sect.” These are the facts about
that word, whether we like it or not.
The book is unusual again, because, it is a theo
logical work from the hands of a layman, giving
evidence that it is the product of much more labor
than laymen are wont to give to such work. It is
unusual for the times, and this is perhaps its chief
commendation to orthodox Christians generally, be
cause it claims to stand flat-footed and four square
with the Bible, and does not hint at the possibility
that the Bible may not be a satisfactory source of
authority.
The work comprises two books. The chief aim
of Book 1 ,is to develop the doctrine that the par
don of sin is the essential quality, or condition in
church membership, or fitness for church member
ship, which is to say: “Churches must be made up
of pardoned people.” This is certainly good doc
trine. A very comprehensive review of Scripture
text is given \o prove that pardon follows after the
hearing of the word, belief o.f the truth, repentance'
for sin and obedience in baptism.
Book 2 is really a very fine presentation of the
New Testament church structure. I think that
there are some defects which might properly be
brought out in a more elaborate review, but not in
this.
The author of course expects that many people
will reject his exclusive interpretation of baptism.
Presbyterians will further object to the elimination
of the work of the Holy Spirit in the saving of
souls, andhi s admission of apostasy. Methodists
will repudiate his order of “Repentance, faith, and
baptism.” It would suit them just as well to take
the order with the other end foremost. Baptists
will insist that hearing and believing the Word, with
the quickening of the Sprit, work repentance and
faith, and that God graciously pardons and gives
eternal life, and that baptism follows as the initial
duty of every regenerate person.
The book is easily readable. It is distinctly in
teresting and often charming and presents many
' striking suggestions that are valuable.
It may not give any argument that is really new
in the defense of the “CREED OF HIS SECT” (if
he and they will pardon me for expressing myself
that way), but his way of putting the argument is
striking and pleasing and withal gives us a very
excellent view of their doctrines from their point
of view.
We are glad to see that a house like that of Funk
& Wagnails are willing to print a book like this.
It is a good indication of a risng standard of taste.
JOHN L. D. HILLYER,
Edgewood Station, Atlanta.
