AN ORDINARY TEETOTALER.
(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1
don't like the way you refer to me. It hurts me. You have hurt me more than once. In articles, long and short, on Prohibition you have referred to me. You have called me a teetotal faddist. Now I am teetotal, but I object to the other part of the epithet: You see, my parents were teetotal, and their many children (ten) were teetotal to death, or living, still are. I am an old man, and my children (six) are teetotal too. Then there are nearly two hundred million Mussulmans and another two hundred million Hindus teetotal. Now neither the Mussulmans, Hindus, nor I are a bit faddy on the subject. For what is a faddist? Is he not a man who has a special scheme for benefiting the world which is 'either unattainable, or attainable only in connexion with other good schemes to which he gives no attention. Now I have held, and hold, in common with these millions, that teetotalism is a fine thing. So is sunshine; and the two things are alike in the brightness they produce in homes. Still, there is no need to boast of either. I don't think the writer's family perfect, nor the followers of the false prophet perfect, nor the idolatrous Hindu.; perfect. On the contrary, I think all three need some other things before they reach perfection, but I would let their teetotalism stand. And it is because I think in this way that I have not made many speeches from a teetotal platform. Still, I have made some, and may make more. In the meantime, I think the phrase " teetotal faddist " or " teetotal fanatic " might beallowed to drop. It really describes hardly anybody. On the main subject of Pro- hibition during the War I am entirely with you.—I am, Sir, &c.,
AN ORDINARY TEETOTALER.
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