The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 09 (of 12): Dresden Edition—PoliticalIngersoll, Robert Green
History
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 09 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Political
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
The moral side of this question? Only a couple of years ago, I think
it was, the Prohibitionists said that they wanted this tax taken from
alcohol. Why? Because as long as the Government licensed, as long as the
Government taxed and received sixty millions of dollars in revenue, just
so long the Government would make this business respectable, just so
long the Government would be in partnership with this liquor crime. That
is what they said then. Now we say take the tax off, and they say it is
immoral. Now, I have a little philosophy about this. I may be entirely
wrong, but I am going to give it to you. You never can make great men
and great women, by keeping them out of the way of temptation. You have
to educate them to withstand temptation. It is all nonsense to tie a
man's hands behind him and then praise him for not picking pockets. I
believe that temperance walks hand in hand with liberty. Just as life
becomes valuable, people take care of it. Just as life is great, and
splendid and noble, as long as the future is a kind of gallery filled
with the ideal, just so long will we take care of ourselves and avoid
dissipation of every kind. Do you know, I believe, as much as I believe
that I am living, that if the Mississippi itself were pure whiskey and
its banks loaf sugar, and all the flats covered with mint, and all
the bushes grew teaspoons and tumblers, there would not be any more
drunkenness than there is now!
As long as you say to your neighbor "you must not" there is something in
that neighbor that says, "Well I will determine that for myself, and you
just say that again and I will take a drink if it kills me." There is no
moral question involved in it, except this: Let the burden of government
rest as lightly as possible upon the shoulders of the people, and let it
cause as little irritation as possible. Give liberty to the people. I
am willing that the women who wear silks, satins and diamonds; that the
gentlemen who smoke Havana cigars and drink champagne and Chateau Yquem;
I am perfectly willing that they shall pay my taxes and support this
Government, and I am willing that the man who does not do that, but is
willing to take the domestic article, should go tax free.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account