The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-01-20
The Cold Water Army.

Business engagements prevented US
from attending the Prohibition COnTen.
ton last week but by all col il
was very much Of u success" In num'
bers and influence. There were per
haps 800 delegates from points outside
of Raleigh aud the degree of earnest
ness displayed was almost phenomenal
particularly in respect to the cordial CO.
action of discordant dcnominational ele-
ments. 1t is a ARE occasion when men
Of strong church feeling like Bishop
Lyman land his Episcopalian following
and Rev. DR.. Skinner land his Baptist
following). and Rev. DR.. Watkins land
his Presbyterian brethren), and the
Methodist clergy, seconded by Judge
MerrimoE and many others of similar
standing in their several spheres, are
seen on the same ground, day after day,
publicly rolling the popular wheel
towards the State House door
We know little of North Caro-
lima, a V since the Surren-
dsr;;" but a friend, whose retrospect
takes in the birth Of the century, as
snres US there never was In the State S
history anything equal to, or approach
ing unto, the depth and breadth of the
popular movement, or, let US say, the
popular feeling, in favor of Prohibi-
ton.
The Convention wa so suddenly
sprung upon the public, that hundreds
OF localities particularly III those sec
tons where no newspapers are
printed-dgd not hear Of the call and
perhaps one half the people of the
State are not aware, t0-dav, that a Con
v"ention has been held. BE 1t remem-
bered that often ever the election re-
turns are two weeks IN reaching Raj
eigh although every body is on the
alert to transmit the news as rapidly as
possible.
It was, therefore, a matter of surprise
that so many delegates should have
come and SO large \ number of memo
rial. also. Nevertheless, it was deemed
best by the leaders in the movement to
remand the question again to the
churches and people, with design to
double the petitions. and popular feel
ing, before going into the Legislative
Halls. The 18th Of February wa fixed
as the date when the big petition will
be rolled into the State House.
And what will be the result? We
do not wish to cast cold water upon our
cold water friends but it is best always
to tell the truth and to be frank, we
have not the slightest idea that this, or
any other, Legislature will adopt the
Prohibition Act. We do not doubt
that a majority of the members, both
Democrats and Republicans, personally
favor Prohibition, and would be glad to
rid the State OF every drop of the ac-
cursed poison. Nine men In ten are Of
the same opinion. Two liquor dealers
nave sworn to us they would be glad to
see total abstinence enforced on every
man. woman, and child in the land-JH
c0utd be done!
But" aidthev, land thus argue many
members of the Assembly, $50 long
as the State is not surrounded by a fifty
foot solid wall, with iron gates for in
gress and egress, there will be no pos
siblIity of excluding liquor and no
legislation will have any effect in re-
straining the use, or abuse, OF liquor
just so long as it can be obtained.
There is already a law against selling
liquor to minors, yet where is the place
in which tipsy boys may not be found?
There are severe laws, and heavy pen
aIties, against distilling yet, although
thousands OF armed Revenue men"
are securing the mountains all the year,
there are perhaps five thousand illicit
stills in the Carolinas this day. In Polk
county several years ago, at a place call
ed Big Island" there were ten of
these ''moonshine'' whiskey worms
running every night within sound of a
dianer hornl Moreover, there are
many hundreds of regularly licensed
government dlstilleries in North Caro-
lima, whose tax the Nation" wants for
appropriation purposes. There are
60 Federal distilleries III CASTOR county
alone. What shall you do with them?
You cannot stop them, for they are
licensed by the government. And
50 long a. they run, there is no use try
ing to stop the sale of liquor. And they
create a demand for immense quantities
of corn, apples, and peaches, raised BY
small farmers, who would have no other
market but FOR them. Naturally such
men will be incenSed. And each gov
eminent still has a store keeper and .
gauger; besides the assessor, and col
lector all drawing from 81 to $6 per
day. Some C these are Democrats
all are ready to fight for their booty.
1t was SO in the old days of Ephesus
when the Apostles broke up the bust
ness of the gold workers at dams
temple. 1t is so to-day.
Here, then, we reach the political as
pect. Nothing is palmer than that
"Prohibition'' is a double, s'back-ac
ton moveElent-for the party which
adopts it. Many men will sign temper.
ance memorials who would vote a%gain,t
a temperance law. There are few
States IN the Union that do not have a
regularly organized "%Prohibition Tick
ct" IN every campaign; yet the propor-
ton of Democrats and Republicans who
are willing to vote that ticket is sener-
ally about one IN ~njaety-nmei These
facts are SO well-kuown that no definite
or decisive action by the Legislature i.
10 be expected. And we say this with
out rejecting on either the courage. or
the morality, of the members. If the
writer, h A s., were "a member ofthe
Assembly he should vote for Prohibit.
ton, because he knows the curse Of H.
quor, aud knows that it is one of thos.
desperate curses which require desper-'
ate remedies. But In so doing, h.
should act for himself as a and
as a politician. If he were more of
what IS called "a good party man. h..
hesitate to ruin his party upon
hopeless a question, aud n with so
little possibility Of real results.
Let the movement move onl Il
may serve to awaken conscience in some
quarters, me save some young souls in
But don't count on the millen-;
fhis va.r