The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-09-08

ed to the prohibition movement,
why did they not say so in plain
English? If the Convention favor
ed prohibition, they ought to have
said so in unmistakable language.
AS was stated in these columns last
week, the question was fairly before
the Convention. A resolution was
introduced plainly reading 1--WE OPP
pose prohibition 1t was with
drawn; Spellman, a prominent Pro-
hibitionist, was nominated fol Sec
retarv of State. Both sides are bid
for: neither can trust the bidder.
In the very next paragraph ofthis
platform we find this: "We demand
the repeal of the infamous pint
whisky law" If the Republicans
favor the repeal of the law which
authorizes the granting of license
to sell whisky by the pint, then they
do not oppose "any statutory or
constitutional provision that shall
deprive the schools of any part of
the common school fund.-" for the
license tax paid by the pint man
goes into the school fund, as much
so as any other license tax on the
sale of whisky. One or the other
of these planks is false-necessarily
so. Which will the voters believe?
False in one, false in everything.
There is no escape from this fiat
contradiction. 1t may be said that
"the infamous pint law" which the
Republicans propose to repeal is the
law making it a misdemeanor to sell
vinous or spurious liquors in guam
titles less than a pint without Ii
cense. Fit is free whisky..they favor,
let it be publicly known and votes
will be captured from neither side.
If this is what is meant by the Gre
peal of the infamous whisky law"
then they violently favor deprlving
the schools of aportion of the school
fund.
We come now to the second para
graph of this platform: "We de-
mand a full vote, a free ballot and
a fair count. The people are thus
told: "You have got to vote; we will
draw our stc barrel codes and march
YOU to the b~allot-box." A.tuU rOte
is to be had whether the people de-
sire to remain at home or go to the
polls. The platform proceeds: "We
demand an honest and rigid enforce
ment of law" 1.-THE law of "six-bar-
rel Codes" we presume,) regardless
of wealth, power or position"
But, putting a more serious con-
struction on this second paragraph
of the platform, the people of Mis-
sissippi enjoy all here demanded ex-
cept, perhaps, the "full vote" which
is enjoyed by no country on earth;
the sick are usually allowed to re-
main away from the polls. This
identical platform admits the pos
session of the blessings enumerated,
or else Jul political ad%yersaries
shamelessly avow an intention to
palm off on the world a wicked
falsehood. At the end of this sec
ond paragraph we read: "We desire
immigration; we shall use every eff
fort to prove to the world that our
State possesses all the requirements
of the immigrant in soil, climate
and lar abiding citizenship" Law
abiding citizenship implies a free
ballot, a fair count, and an honest
and rigid enforcement of the law.
The platform says: eve demand an
amendment of the oppressive land
lord and tenant laws" Whether
the party proposes to amend by
making the laws more oppressive Or
less so, is left entirely to conjecture;
a change either way would be an
amendment. eve demand a chanae
of the unequal privilege tax" That
is to say, they will change it by
making it more unequal. eve de-
mand an elective Judiciary" No
such demand was made while the
Republicans we're in power, and
when the State Judiciary was much
inferior to what it now is. This is
intended to catch votes and for no
other purpose. I'VE also desire that
colleges and universities shall be
established for the education of
young women similar to those al
ready established for young men,"
This is a mere desire, and they don't
even state who they desire shall
erect them. There is nothing in
this looking to the establishment
of such institutions by the State.
We all desire such schools. If there
be benevolent individuals who wish
to benefit the country by organizing
high grade female schools, they will
be welcomed into every neighbor-
hood in Mississippi.
This covers every principle in the
platform. 1t is a bundle of contra
dictory uncertainties.
AT the Primary Election held in
- Al l1Ll lii