The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-03

A mass meeting of the friends Of pro
hibition was called on the 18th instant
Rev. ]. H. Gambrell, Corresponding and
Financial Secretary of State Prohibition
Executive Committee, entertained the
meeting for over an hour, presenting
and discussing the plans and purposes
of the Committee, and the necessity for
! prohibition, in one of the ablesU speeches
we have had the pleasure of hearing.
The arguments were sound, the facts
and figures conclusive, and the logical
/ differences from premises thoroughly
convincing. The eloquent speaker assert
ed that Prohibition is constitutional.
The doctrine has been affirmed by the
u. :. courts and the State courts In
the case of Henry Moore, representing
Lottery Company, vs.. The State of
Mississippi, vi. Morris Reports, the doc
trine is distinctly affirmed; the court
holding that the Constitution forbids
the operation of any business in the
State which would tend to the prosti-
tuition Of the morals of the citizen.
The whole case turned on the question
of the effect on the moral interest of
the citizen, and the charter was annulled.
SpC1hCA uSACOs VIII
one undertake to show that the liquor
traffic does not effect the moral prosti-
tuition of our citizens? If the traffic
results in Generalization, crime and
vice in any community, then prohibit
ing the traffic is constitutional.
The beneficial results of prohibition,
where such laws were enforced, were
presented with an array of testimony
perfectly overwhelming. No man, with
any respect for truth, would undertake
to dispute the facts, furnished as they
were by the best men in and out of the
State
He answered the plea made for the
whisky business ostensibly in favor of
free schools. From the Auditors re-
port for 1888, the sexact sum realized
from license to sell liquor was $163, 800, |
and the number of educable children |
was 457, 400, which is less than thirty
six cents to each child. How was this |
trifie of 80 cents obtained? What did |
it cost the State? The speaker said our
liquor bill was for 1888, $1,500,000, and
the tax on the industry and property of |
the State for the prosecution of crime
growing out of the traffic was, accord
ing to best estimates, 81, 100000 The
cost is beyond all comparison to the in
come from licenses, for the interest of
free schools, to say nothing of the shock
ing scenes of crime and idleness about
saloons, or of the broken hearts and
blasted hopes of our beautiful women,
whose husbands and sons have fallen a
prey to the tempter.
Prohibition interests every citizen.
Even the saloon man finds in it bless
ing. The speaker read extracts from
ex-saloon keepers and others vino had
been driven from the liquor business by
and were happy to realize
that their prosperity and pleasures in
life were much greater than in the sa
Oon traffic.
1t is impossible to follow the argu-
nents of the speaker, who concluded
with an eloquent appeal to the audience
20 organize in the interest of prohibi
ion; many of whom responded by lib
,ral contributions for this purpose.
The sale of liquors in one Supervisors
district in Jasper county is already pro-
libited by law, obtained in obedience to
| majority petition to the Legislature
praying for the same. The prohibition
entiment is growing stronger-and a
rec people oppressed with taxes, to
crime resulting from the liquor
rafic, cannot be restrained from pro-
Getting themselves from this unnecessa-
y evil. NJ. +. BERRY.
Pachuta, Miss, Nov. Is, 1884