p God as their consciences
directed, and to develop that national character of uprightness and
understanding that has been so fraught with blessing to the world. And
that freedom it is left to us to carry to fruition--by developing a
State that shall be free from ignorance, from degradation, from vice,
from self-indulgence--in one word, from drunkenness in every form. 'He
who will not give up a little temporary liberty for essential safety,
deserves neither liberty nor safety,' declared Benjamin Franklin. We
shall awake and establish public safety on the ruins of a false and a
degrading liberty. When we shall have achieved that--then we shall be
free indeed.

IV

Nothing appeals to my own heart so much as the anxiety shown by those
publicists regarding my taxation. They feel so much for me, and are
afraid that I shall require to pay more of an income-tax if I do not
vote No Change. This care for my personal interests touches me
profoundly; and the desire that the nation should drink itself into
financial prosperity must affect every patriot's heart. But, again,
Scotsmen can think. And no sooner do we exercise our minds than we see
how fallacious all this is--and how ungrounded our fears. The greatest
loss the nation sustains is the revenue from alcohol. What are the
losses that are entailed by that revenue? Against it must be put the
pauperism that the State has to support, and which is mainly caused by
alcohol; the cost of police and judges and prisons that are mainly
required because of alcohol; the loss to the State of the lives wasted
and ruined by alcohol. Strike a balance--and there is no gain to the
State from the revenues of alcohol. The greatest loss the State
sustains is the revenue it derives from the misery and degradation of
its citizens. No State can grow rich by exploiting the misery and the
vice of its own people. Were the money now wasted in this
non-productive trade devoted to industry, the resultant product would
pay the State over and over again for any loss from the sacrifice of
alcohol. Already this is being proved in the United States. In the
State of Massachusetts an increase in the taxation of theatres, soft
drinks, candy, and transport not only made up for the loss from the
taxes on alcohol, but realised an increase of over 500,000 dollars in
the first dry year! There in America the breweries and distilleries
are being converted into jam factories, boot factories, and wher