Who is Responsible ?

Such then being the evil, the question arises—What is the cause? [unclear: th] answer is the strength of alcoholic temptation and the weakness of [unclear: h] nature; and the superficial observer is, therefore, apt to place the [unclear: res] bility on the drink-seller who holds out the temptation, and the [unclear: dru] who succumbs. But this is like blaming the flame and the fuel for the [unclear: f] What we want to know is, who set the fire alight ? and who keeps burning? In other words, who permits and encourages the drink seller perform the function of tempter? The State does this by giving the [unclear: d] seller leave to sell; but it does not do so for his sake. For [unclear: w] then ? Not for the drunkard's, for the State disapproves of drunkards; [unclear: df] for the teetotaller's, for the teetotaller disapproves of drink; but for the [unclear: dfd] of the moderate drinker, whose reasonable requirements the State desires satisfy. It is on account of the moderate drinker that the liquor traffic tolerated and licensed. And if there were no moderate drinkers? [unclear: T] there would be no liquor traffic. And if there were no liquor traffic? Then [unclear: dfd] terrible catalogue of evils which I have merely glanced at would be [unclear: as] away, that utopian prophecy of Mr. Chamberlain's would be realised, and [unclear: fd] would hive been achieved for human happiness and virtue than by the [unclear: ex] bined labours of statesmen and philanthropists for the last 100 yean.[unclear: f] then, we ask again—Who is ultimately responsible for the greatest [unclear: scou] modern civilisation, who is responsible for the ruthless waste of human-[unclear: all] and character, for the impoverishment and degradation of the poor, [unclear: f] sorrows of the fatherless and the widow, the shivering and the starving?-[unclear: dfd] answer can only be, unpleasant as it may be to utter :—Stand forth moderate drinker, for thou art the man !