The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-31
what the North CaroIina Election OF
Next Thursday Means.
fCorrsspondebce OF the Richmond Dispa'cn.I
IouepuRg. N. C., Jolly 20, 1881.

+ There IL great excitement IN thls olale no"
the temperance question. On next inurs-
day the sense Of the people WIZ ne taken ' ~
the polls on the prohibition bul passeu last
winter. That bill prohibits the manuiaelu-
ring OF any spiTituous- or mat llqnoIs, eA'
cent wines and cider, In the state III pro-
bfbits the sale OF thtse liquors by any except
the regular druggists who may be licensed
under this act, ADD by them except on q GER
tiicate from a respectable physician, me-
cbaHic or artist, stating that The liquor Is
necessary for medical, mechanical, or cheml-
cal pur,. ses. No greater qU1nilty tnan one
gallon can be sold TO any person NJ one tline'
No druggist IL allowed 20 keep more than
thirty gallons on hand. No physician licensed
under this act as q druggist can give Inc re-
auil ed certificate. Violation OF these pro-
visions is punishable by fines varying from
| 800 to 81 900 and imprisonment, IN the as
cretiOn OF the court. u
The movement that led up to this Dill =
worthy Of attention from thOu9blfdl people
everywhere. For years there had Deen Il
growing temperance sentiment among our
people. There bad been no crusade against
intemperance, but IN quiet way Tue IrlenuS
OF ten perance were working, ana "orkiDg
successfully, TO redeem the stale from Tue
curse Of the liqnOr traffic. II had been Tue
custom for yeas for the LEGISLATURE 10 pass
n hill for the relief OF any county or village
church that applied for it, prohibiting the
sale OF iaaor withlH three miles OF the
church. Sometimes colleges had these llmits
extended to six miles. BY this custom d
large portion OF the State had already Cd
tanned prohibition. Moreover, In NUMBER
Of counties the county authorities had re-
fused to grant blr.Toom lie 'nse, and IN these
counties louor could only be seld III guam
Titles OF gallon or more. Encouraged
and STRENGTHENED by the success OF tnese
measures, the temperance sentiment was
growing rapidly, and there IS reason 10 De-
lieye that in few years The liquor tralnc
would have been abolished throughout inc
State. except in q few OF the larger CUTS
But the work wa, not destined 10 De COM
pleted IN this quiet way. Last winter tueie
was sudden and spontaneous movement
on the temperance question throughsut Tue
Stare. People who seemed 10 have been
entirely satisfied before with the progress
tho temperapce sentiment was making
suddenly began to cllmor for more yisor-
ous measures. Petitions .werc circulated
everywhere asking the lawmakers Tor
nrohibitiOn law. When the members OF the
LEGISLATURE came together In January they
found these petitions on their liable WIN
400. 0G0 names attached TO them, and lOO,'
600 OF these petitioners were voters. TO
this day the movement is unlccOuntaDle.
II had no recognized leader. Politicians
land other popular leaders stunned or
StraddlCd the question the best they
could, and yet the movement went
on. II was not a political movement,
nor a religious movement, but movement
Of the mmOn people, great ground-s"ell.
II the Legislature had hceGcd the petitions
and passed a sweeping Prohibition Dill
there is no doubt but that an overwhelming
public sentiment would have endorsed Tue
bill and appauded it, authors. PuDhc SEN
ltiment was ripe for such DIll' But u'lIe
loonosition TO II had been developed up to
that time, and agitation would nave Deeu
fore,talIed for the future. But the polilI-
clans were afraid. The numerical differ
cnce between the two parties in the last
election wa, only 5000. Each party was
afraid to become elmer patron or opponent
Of the bill lest the other should gain al al
vantage by il. They bad to do something.
They did the least they could. They passed
This bill and submitted II TO the people Tor
ratification. Eighty-,hree Democrats ana
twenty.onc Republicans voted Tor II, ten
| Democrats aud seven Republicans against
lii. So il is no party measure. Then the night
Opened before the peope-and such bghi
The matter was now in such shape t9al
the fiouor.dcalers could make capital out OF
The ignorance and prejudices OF the neople'
They could appeal to the old-iashioned,
conservative element, on lbe grouru thal
| this was a neto measure intended 10 suDYert
the good old order OF things entirely. IheE
could appeal TO those lately emaDcipated' on
| the ground that this measure was taKlnS
away one of the liberties OF the people, and
L l. f,It cd Z.
worse. il successful. They could appeal to
sucb as were too ignorant to see the tallacy,
on the ground that this was areIleiOuS mea-
sure, aud would bring about union OF
Church and State. They could appeal TO
tho people in the western part OF the state,
on the ground that the bill allowed The use
OF the grapes Of the East, but forbldc the
di>tllltion of the apples Of the West,
md was therefore unfair and oppressive 10
the West. They could appeal 10 the poor,
on the ground that the rich could SEND 70
other State. and get drink, but that the
Door would have TO do without, Just as II
| that was not true Of every luxury OF life.
They could appeal to State pride, on the
ground that The bin allowed the sale but
not the manufacture OF liquor, and that the
manufacturers OF other States would proht
by the bill. They could appeal to southern |
prejudice, on the ground that prohibition
originated in New England. And, worst Of
all, they could afford to appeal to the de- |
PRAYED aUpctites Of such a. could be in
luenced by drink by inaugurating man.
moth system Of treating where treating !
would do the most good o heir cause.
Now what are to be the results Of such a
clnyaSsy Some Of tbem are known already |
and some can only be fOrecas'ed, but ven. |
ture to sum them up: o. Widespread /
decentralization. Any reader can under !
stand how sach arguments and such means |
as have been enumerated above would |
demOralize people. (2) The deieat OF
the bill now before the people. | have no
hope that the prOhbitiOnisls will carry Inc |
State. 49, The partial breaking up OF The |
two political parties. Politicians would not |
pass a prohibition bill for fear OF lhal.
think they have hit upon surer means 10 ''-
cOmpIlsh it in refusing. a number 81 anti
prohibition voters in all parts OF the SlaIe
have signed pledges to the eject that lhey |
will support no man for any Office hereafter |
who favors this bill. suspect many OF Inc
other side cherish the same feelings. a. |
Temporary injury TO the cause OF temper
ance. The defeat Of this bill Will probably
enable the liquor dealers to influence the
Legislature to repeal the partial prohibition
bills already passed. !. may also dlscour-
age the ter perance people for awhile
though | believe the victory will eventually |
no theirs. DARIUS.
Excursion Rates 10 the Yorktown Gem
tenniai.
TBaI Imore American, July 80