The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-02-13

rn,~,ne orazroN: / have watched VIZ
- ~ course az the Legislature uPon
:. 1900 ,uesticn. and have been nue.
- 800 - i, 80 manifested 50 strong
- - the suppression OF the Tan.
- hor,ad that the House Tenn a 80.
0onmittee would mature q plan $3.50.
S-o-la make the rapidly growing P
,,;.;on eantimsnt Of the people % sc 49, =
,,i;sh that result; but am disaPp - =
- hiu which has received It's en0oise
ment - v-b;ch II pro-
eseds Is undoubtedly corrkct- Inc ha nh;ch
- most satisfactory msnner IN 49,
prohibition can be accomplished = l's -
t,,saI oDfion. But while the prlnclPae v
ne hilf Is correct, its methods are -.
7 iii state nv objections in detail
Il lacks the merit Of simplicity ana ease =
:. .n-I;cation. 1t is complicated and cum
hersome. and involves altogether 700 nuoA
-nerb;nerv. It requires petition OF one
sfth If the voters of the county anu tli0
ordariur and holding of a special elec1ion.
And even then, if prohibition falis "
.srrv- Il leaves the matter to be nnalIy ue
c;5aa pnder our present loosely drawn ana
or,h;o,,,ous statutes. Surely an expires
s;1,r, IF the popular will can be gotten mort
directly and easily than this, anu, "hsh
once uttered, should be decisive.
5 r thows the burden of getting sueh
av,rasSion of the popular will upon those
IL onnose the traffic instead OF upon
thosa SrEo favor it. Most of the past legls,
teton mon this question, and almost al
the iuaicIaI decisions have proceeded upon
The assumption that the liquor tratnc Is
..coptrabonas mores," and against Puoiic
nolicv Even the most earnest advocates
cannot deny this. They are compeIieo 70
admit that it is great social evil, and can
onIv claim that, though an evil It Is
necessary one, which society must
tolerate because unavoidable. Any
neasure designed to suppress such
an evil should brand it as an eVll'
should recognize the fact that the presumP-
ton of law is against it instead OF being IN
it, favor. and should impose upon Its sup
norters the burden of showing that the
Community desires and demands It,
It provides for local option oaly Dy
| counties. while in many cases promoltlon
wonId be most promoted by extending
| TO incorporated towns and supervisors ols'
| tricts. This may be q mistaken OPINION
| Int il is certain that in this section Oh uie
State, where prohibition IS strong ana con,
stantly gaining ground, there are many
| districts in which the popular vote "oulO
be overwhelming in its favor, while IN tht
counties at large it would in some instances
be defeated.
4 It proyid 81 for biennial elec ions, and
although ambiguous upon this point th'
inference is, that though succe Ssfnl IN TN
first, the prohibitionists m lst not~ith
standing petition for every suose luent eiec
ton.
nation of the traffic by the Popula
will should be final and conclusive unti
that will has changed, and the burden o
showing such change should be upon thoS'
who favor the traffic.
These are not captious objections agalns
features of the bill which, as many believe
viii greatly impair its efficiency. Nor L
it the object of this communication merel;
to find fault with the measure proposed
but also to suggest an entirely different
but, il is believed, better remedy.
There is a way in which local option cal
be applied to this question, which will b
at once simple, fair, easy, and decisive
Instead of having biennial elections, lie
our present liquor laws be SO amended a
to require every person desiring to sell Ii
quors in any quantity, before license shall
be granted, to present to the proper au
thorities petition of a majority of tn
voters of the town or district where he pro
poses to sell, and to publish such petition
for at least four weeks. This woul
simplify the law, make it uniform
and render it easy to under
stand and apply. 1t would place tn
burden of showing reason for a change upol
the right party, would give the prohibition
lists fair notice of any attempt to Obtain
license, and afford them ample opportuni
ty to prevent it.
This is all the legislation needed upol
this question at present. 1t w0uld max
short work of the liquor traffic in this par
of the State. There are numerous district
and quite number of counties, in which
under such law it woIld be impossible t
obtain license.
1t may be that all os those points hav
been fully considered by those who are i
a position to influence legislation Blu
they impressed me and OF lers with whOr
have conversed so forciDly, that l hav
thought it might be best to give them ut
terance through The DAILY CLARION.
Hoping the Legislature will give us
law which will tend speedily to suppress
the evils of intemperance.
am resp sctfully,
|