The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-08-09
Throwing stones from Glass
Houses.

Caution Citizen.l
James Redpath, correspondent Of
/ the New York Times, who was with the
Congressional COMMITTEES in their late
mission of investigating the Mississippi
election, undertakes, in his letter to that
journal, under date of July ID, to pre-
sent what he calls ''the elements of 50.
ciety' in Mississippi to 1.-The Northern
reader, as essential to a full under
standing of the politics Of thi%State
Conceiving that our political backsli
ding from the Radical fold is directly
| traceable TO moral and social causes,
which "the Northern reader" (being so
far removed from the perncious infu-
ences which contiguity 10 such disorders
must inevitably eifect), cannot under
stand, he enlightens him as TO the ex-
istence of these evils that form the basis
ofour slcial aud moral organism gener-
ally. We will content ourselves here
with an inquiry into the soundness of
but one of the bottom facts wherein
is based his theory. Allowing what he
calls ''the Southern village" Jackson, a
population of only j, 200 (though we be-
lieve our State capital justly lays claim
TO 5000 population, he makes the az
founding revelation that it maintains
thirty five grog shops Now, let Us see,
by comparison, whether the maintenance
of this element CT social, moral and, con
sequently, (according to Mr.. James Red
PATH, political disorder, is distinctive
character of Southern communities, in
contrast to comparative freedom from
such an evil in that more blessed realm
which "the Northern reader" who is so
innocent of the existence Of such a state
of moral depravity here, habitates.
At his own figures, then, Jackson,
with its population of 5000 souls, main
tains 80 grog shops, which would be one
grog shop to about every ninety-one in
habtants. Nov this is, indeed, a de- |
plorable state of things, and the commu-
nifty where so many establishments of |
the kind flourish in proportion to the
population, would exhibit condition Of |
moral depravity that is to all, indetensi |
BILE, were it not for the fact that 1.-The |
village" of jackson being our State capt
tai, is the great center of congregating
for almost all purposes, it would be very
unjust that all the dram swilling that is
done there should be laid to the charge
of the citizens. Indeed it has been ir-
reverently charged that the saloon keeper
at the Hizheim Hotel, where the Con
gressional Committee, and Mr. Redpath
were entertained, boasts of larger re-
ceipts than usual, for the same length of
time, while, the village" of jackson
was honored with the presence of the
Committee and Mr.. Red
path.
But now for the comparison: Let us
take Philadelphia, a Northern city so re-
nowned tor the piety Of its citizens, So
briefly, morality and many virtues gen.
orally that it has received and borne the
appelIation of the City of Brotherly
Love" On page $40 of the Christian
at Work, dated 4th July, the following
appears as among the ''curi
Gus and startling facts gathered by the
Reform Club Of Philadelphia.
''Of the 8,034 places where liquor is
sold 1872 are houses of ilI-fame 2, AGO
of these being kept by females, and l.
322 by men.
Now the population of Philadelphia,
according to the last census returns is
Go, 600. Divide this by the number
of grog shops given above, and we have
a grog shop TO every seventy and frac
ton Of its inhabitants, while 1.-THE vii
lage," of Jackson, Mississippi, stands
with its population in u ratio of ninety
and fraction Of its people to one place
where liquor is sold. Then, again, while
Philadelphia has 2,46O women ut the
head OF the saloons, Jackson does not
furnish an instance eta female bar-ten-
der, But Jackson's population is nearer
1000 than 5000, which would render
the proportion Of saloons to population
doubly as great in Philadelphia And
then we never did hold jackson out to
world as our shining light in the way of
piety, and Quaker like sobri-
ETY., peacetulness and temperance.
Now will the New York Times enable
''the Northern reader" to understand /,
politics. at home by giving the above
facts publioation-the social and moral
condition having so much to DO with the
politics of communities.