A TEMPERANCE EIRENICON.
A Temperance Eirenicon. By a Christian Minister. (14 The Terrace, Greenhithe. ls.)—We cannot discuss all the questions which the "Christian Minister" raises, for he goes over the whole ground of. the Local Option, Prohibition; Licensing, and, we may say generally, the " Drink " controversy. The con- clusion to which. he comes may be briefly stated thus. The Temperance movement has failed. We should now work on different lines, the chief point being that "the Temperance men should co-operate with the Liquor men in carrying out Rational Reform." He proceeds to give a list of concessions which the latter are willing to make. Certainly they amount to a very con- siderable total. If they could be loyally carried out, no small advance would have been secured. We must always remember that no effective change can be made without a general consent, and that we must be satisfied here, as in every province of human life, with a very gradual elevation of the moral level. How beset with difficulties the whole subject is may be seen from the follow- ing example. Among the "unanimous findings in the matter of licences" is this "No licence should be allowed to a public-house of under £12 annual rateable value." The writer of this notice was talking on the subject to a quite respectable, sober man, and suggested that the beerhouses might be done away with. The suggestion did not please at all. "Sir," said the man, " I am comfortable there. I can sit down before the fire and have my glass. The public-houses are too grand fOr the like of me." He was expected to spend more than he could afford.
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