The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1885-01-29
A Perti o Question.


relative TO Columbus. Miss, the
chosen site Of the State Female Col.
Iege, who were not deeply impressed
by the comparative showiny between
the periods OF the license and non
license of whisky IN that charming
and beautiful city, the prepouder-
ance being overwhelmingly in favor
of nOn-licensc. This is a point that
comes home with peculiar force to
the citizens OF Brookhaven. One
Of the stock arguments of those who
favor the granting of license in this
town has been that the suppression
Of the liquor traffic would injure
the business Of the place; therefore,
it were better that ninetv-and-nine
sinners in the county at-lsrge should
suffer than that any business man
of BrookhSvcn should lose one
shekel. THIS is not only false in
fact, but the experience Of Columbus
proves it.
And again, there is another point
which addresses itself with still
greater force to the people of this
city If saloons are part and
parcel of the progress of town
morally, socially and financially
how was it that a committee of the
ablest men Of Columbus, appointed
10 present its claims to the location
of the State Female College, in one
Of the most logical and exhaustive
presentations Of those claims, failed
to present this one also? Brook.
haven possesses Female College
which is one of the finest in the
entire South, and one which in ex
cellence and capacity for usefulness
the State Female College will never
surpass, if equal. 1t is worthy Of
the pride and substantial support
OF every person in this community;
and yet, has any one ever known the
President or Board Of Trustees OF
this Institution, while enumcrating
its many superior advantages, al
Iude to the fact that within few
hundred yards of its stately walls
are located or ) saloons for the re-
tail of that poison which robs men
money So far from it, the Brook
haven saloons are regarded as con,
tinual menace and obstacle to its
greater growth, development and
usefulness. True, Whitworth Col
lege has grown and prospered in the
past amidst such surroundings, but
the remarkable improvement and
development which have character
lied the splendid administration of
President johnson have been attain
ed by him in spite Of the saloons
and their baletul influence, and in
no sense because of them, as he has
doubtless many times fully realized
The State Of Mississippi protects all
of it's colleges for boys by forbiddine
by special Legislation the sale of Ii
quor in their vicinity. Is it too
much to ask of the fathers of Brook
haven that they protect their college
for girls those who are by nature
far more dependent on them for
protection than boYs-by allowing
the general liquor law Of the State
to remain in force by refusing to
sign whisky petitions Surely not !.
Finally, as was we'll observed by
the Index writer, if saloons are pub
lie benefactors and the prosperity Of
a town depends upon their existence
it is wrong to tax them so enormous
ly, especially as their proprietors
are seldom benefited in the long
run themselves. Il have known
personally every saloon keeper in
Columbus for forty-ninc years, and
all but one Of those dead, died con-
iessed bankrupts" is the testimony;
which, of course, carries with it
social and moral bankruptcy as
well.
Let every man who is willing to
be honest with himself, and who
sincerely desires to best subserve
the true interests of the community
and of his neutrality-suspicious. men
included-think on these things and
ponder them.