Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1885-08-28
SOUTHERN PROHIBITION.

ihSn, ulC tNpSilCuSc VI
every canvass in which the prohibition
party took hand having demonstrated
that the movement had passed beyond
the control of the well.meaning and
honest, and was. in every case, manip-
uiated by political outcasts, desirous
only Of making it pay. In some cases
cir reward was in dollars and cents
in others it took the form of
bargain for Offices, and in others
again it consists in the satisfaction of
beating the party that refused to allow
itself TO be used as a prohibition cats
paw. But not one instance can be
cited to show that any canvass made
by the Prohibitionis:s as party has re-
suited IN increase of reputation n, either
to the party or to the leading manag-
ers of its political business.
The ostensible object Of the Prohi-
bitionists is to secure the absolute dis
continuance Of the manufacture and
sale of alchoholic liquors, and the pro-
claimed purpose in, so laudable and
the method Of presenting it SO plausi-
Bile that thousands OF men and women,
who would be indignant at the use OF
their names to countenance fraud,
have been led into the support of a
Prohibition candidate, under the i'm
preston that they were thereby engag-
ed in work of philanthropy Moth
ing is further from the truth. The poll
ticians OF this country are the shrewd-
est this world produces; they watch
every change of public opinion; being
representative men and constantly
associating with other representative
men, they acquire anability to fore
cast the political weather With a keen.
ness that enables them to see which
way the wind will blow, and trim theil
sails accordingly.
They have thus managed to keep
ahead of the people and appear tc
to lead, when in fact, they only do SC
by cutting across lots and placing
themselves in the van when they have
thoroughly ascertained IN what direc
ton the people are movlngr Thus i
! is that prohibition has been entirely al
tered in character, and from a laudablt
end has degeneiated INTO action as ;
) crutch for broken down and sometime
not altogether reputable politicians.
) While many persons have an inklini
of these facts the full state of the cas-
is not so well known as it might be, no
is the foregoing recapitulation at a
unnecessary. 1t is made, however
for the purpose Of showing ho'
Il powerless good but unsophisticate
e people are In hands of politicians. an
: how unscrupulous men will turn
J. their own advantage honest efforts :
!, reforming one of the gravest evils (
q the country. In striking contrast vii
IT this picture is the scene presented
n the south, where prohibition has new
81 had political bias. A correspondel
q of the Chicago Tribune was recent
o sent to that section for the express pu
y pose of ascertaining what was beir
& done and what had already been a,
IN compllshed in the cause of tempe
ance. He found, to his astonishmer
- that, so far as legal measures we
- concerned the South was much furth
" advanced than the North. Corstit
!, - tional amendments establishing prof
ton have never been popular in t
Southern States, and whenever pr,
'n sented, they were mercllessly vot,
81 down; but in the South temperan
s. legislation has taken the form
ei special enactments, prohibiting t
X sale of liquors in and about towns al
rs within a given distance of schoo
CT asy lums and churches.
IS The extent to which this has be,
H. carried may be judged by the fact tn
Tn Mississippi has sixty eight chapters
10 special legislation on this subje
10 while as long ago as 1874 Sou
a. Carolina passed an act prohibiting
vi sales of alchoholic drinks save in
Vi corporated towns, and allowing the
> the right of local prohibition if th'
Is chose to exercise 1t. Other illustr
Il tiors might be given were it necessar
~ but all the facts show that, so far
&c mere legislation goes, the South is f
{, ahead of any other section. This r
IL suit has been accomplished by kee
% ing the movement out of politic.s al
ie consequently, out of the hands of Il
politicians, an additional advantal
ie beng gained in the fact that prohit
le ton is applied just where the peop