that? It's against us.”
“Naturally. But we made it a monopoly in our clumsy efforts to prevent people drinking what they liked, because it interfered with industrial regularity—”
“Oh!” cried Margaret, stung; and I could see she thought I was talking mere wickedness.
“That's it,” I said.
“But would you have people drink whatever they pleased?”
“Certainly. What right have I to dictate to other men and women?”
“But think of the children!”
“Ah! there you have the folly of modern Liberalism, its half-cunning, half-silly way of getting at everything in a roundabout fashion. If neglecting children is an offence, and it IS an offence, then deal with it as such, but don't go badgering and restricting people who sell something that may possibly in some cases lead to a neglect of children. If drunkenness is an offence, punish it, but don't punish a man for selling