Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-06-23
An Addrers TO the People Of North
a Carolina
By the Anti, Prohibition Com
vention, convened In Raleigh, June
- 1901.

'SHtioH3 SOuroaS0 AZ ASs'ioiS", "o'
1st 1881: w
It often happens, in the march o
progress, among enlightened natians
that the attention Of a community il
: aroused to the existence of some grea
+ evil in it's midst. A recognition o.
the evil begets desire for it's remedy
Agitation ensues, measures of reform
: are hastily prof jected, ,sandexper:ment.
) in legislation are proposed for the
suppression or Limitation Of the evil
Of all the problems that thus seize
upon the public mind periodically and
, thrust their claims for solutihn upon
civilization and the spirit Of progress,
none is of greater Importance, perhaps
than that which is involved in what
is commonly known as the "Temper-
ance Question"
The people of the State Of North
Carolina have been suddenly and rude
|, ly plunged into consideration of this
perplcxing problem, while specious,
ready-made, legal solution is held
out for their adoption, the promoters
of which give currency to such prom
ises OF happy results, such prophecies
of good obtainabla, as most readily
to those emotions of generosity.
charity and morality characteristic of
high civilization. A new alliance
between Church and State is pro-
posed and Christian organizations,
grown numerous and powerful in a
civilized land, are da,aanding legis-
Iative control OF the public con-
science.
The gravity Of the subject requires
that it should not be handled lightly:
but considered with calm and even
mind, and every step of attempted
reform be based on truth and right
reason. Gr at dangers must be met
by great pru ence-not by headlong
| impulse-for errors that enhance the
ills we seek to cure grow from blum
ders into crimes,
History shows on every page of its
record that with growth of power
the Church comes often to demand
State assistance to enforce its teach
ings; pleading always a good to be
gained, truth to be sustained by
civil enactment. And just as often,
too, it shows that such alliances are
fruitful only in evil to the Church, to
religious sentiment and the cause Of
morality, while through them weak
ness and decentralization creep upon
the State to canker the very heart of
government and SOW beneath its
foundations the seeds of corruption
and decay.
Legislative edlcts free from the en-
tanglements Of false alliances, free
from taint Of prejudice or suspicion
of jobbery, instinct with the wisdom
of true statecraft and responsive to
the practical demands of society
alone should have the support of the
iudcIous, action in such a cause.
They must not rest in the emotions
and prejudices Of good, though un-
thoughtful people, but appeal to the
common sense of thinking and rea-
sonable men; they must not dea
falsely with scripture they must moi
defy the mandates Of science; they
must not ignore the lessons of his
tory. Obnoxious to these plain frs
, principles of wise public policy
they are worse than useless, ant
their enactment return to falls
systems that shackle us in slavery tt
: new abuses without enfranchising us
. from the dominion of the old.
t We hold the interests of truth
morality, religion and high standar
7 of public policy to be opposed to th
: usual forms of prehibitory Legislation
We hold that the errors, inaccuracies
ineff1ciencies and reacting evils com
mon to this form of legislation ar
a !, glaringly exemplifcd in that specis
enactment known as the P1ohibitio
act. now under consideration by OF
n people. The certainty of aggravat
le ing evils sought to he cured, while ei
to gendering, mutip ying and fosterin
le new and greater wrongs is found
ut its false theories and pernicious mt
I'd thods.
A just and fair treatment of tt
le question is safest at first because
I must come at last. Those wi
s. would obstruct this treatment by
no blind and tenacious adherence to 81
i; called.svstems of reform, false in th
ar ory, fanatical in methods, incspab
= of beneficial results and fruitful
:. resctive evils, are, before God 81
=. man, chargeable with the grave r
~ spensibility Of seeking extension
LII the ills they aeplore aud assistig
ne spread a curse they themselves G
liy clare threatens to sap the foundati
'er of morality and decency, and, if r
it. checked, to overthrow the social fl
he ric of civilization itself.
* And, therefore, VIC hold that I
rejection of the act by the electors
ort the polls is the first great step IN ,
Iri, cause of temperance reform possi
nd to the people of North Carolina.
oy The manufacturing business
TO the West for 1880 has been estim