The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-22

about prohibition? Now think about it
1 like men of sense, what vast resources We
possess in this line / suppose we expend
81 600, goo per annum for adulterated
| liquors from the North and West and from
other countries, when We might, b. wise
policy, not only supply ourselves at home,
but BY encouraging the growth of the grape
for vine, apples and peaches for brandy,
and corn for whisky, We could not only
supply our State with pure article. and
save this large expenditure. but could
make It source of great profit BY supply
ing other States and countries, and bring
into the lap of our State 81 100000 in
stead of paving out that amount, and thus
gain 81, 600 900 which is now lost to US
81 ,00o, 900 saved which is now expended
for that we could manufacture at home,
then 81 ,000, 900 brought into our midst for
the products of our soil which is now
barren waste.
By this wise policy we would invite
into our State the French, the Germsns,
the Swiss and Italians, who otherwise
would be practically excluded by the folly
of prohibition and thus lost to the wealth,
growth and prosperity of ous State. Oh!
but the prohibitionist say this would
increase a thousand fold murders and
crimes of all sorts. deny it. Liquor does
not do it all. A man makes up his mind
to murder, assassinate or rob, he takes on
a few drinks to screw up his courage to
commit an act he has previously deter
mined to do. Then, when overtaken in
his crime, it is so palliating to say, "whis-
XIV did it ALL" II this is not defence at
| law, it mitigates the crime in the breast of
most of mankind. And it is so easy for
his friends and relatives to say, ''If he had
not been drunk he would not have done
! it.' "Whisky did it all" whisky is
the father of all crime" | have heard
this old stereotyped cry for more than fifty
years, but / do not believe a word of it,
There were five murders committed in
1888 within ten miles of Palo Alto, and
not drop of whisky connected with them
that l have heard of-at least, no such
plea has been set up by any of the crlmi-
mails or their friends. One of them was
hanged for the crime; another died in JAIL
or would have been hanged; Others not
yet tried, some escaped. So whisky does
not commit all the crimes as charged.
/ remember when a boy, there was a
stillhouse in almost every hollow in Ten
nessee, and every one was allowed to sell
whisky without restraint, just as he did
corn and meat, and l am sure there was
| then less drunkenness and crime than now,
by two hundred per cent. In 1851, | re-
sided in a town in Tennessee where had
not seen drunken man in two years, such
was the morality of the place, and whisky
was to be had at pleasure; but from 1851
| to 1854 there was great excitement over
the Maine liquor law. | then took bold
ground against il, and predicted the evil
that would flow from the effects of the agi-
tation; and sure enough, before 1860,
drunkenness was of daily occurrence in
that town.
Now, don't understand me to favor at
present the removal of all restraint as
mentioned above. 1t would not be suit
able under our existing organization of
society. But / am in favor of combining
the sale to towns and cities where there is
a police force to control it. And would
not object to removing the saloons and let
it be sold as general merchandise under
certain restraints.