The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1885-04-30
Tho Last Liquor Petition Agn,n.

quOr petition, with some errors
which uniutcntionally appeared last
week, corrected.
There having been complaint on
tho part Of some on account of the
fact that the list was published in THE
( LEADER, in this connection we will
also offer word OF explanation. In
the first place, the petition having
become u matter Of pubic record,
and therefore public property, and
having already been publish,d once
in another paper as the law Ic-
quires all such petitions shall be, no
signer could justly complain be-
cause it was published by us also.
1t was published as matter OF
general public interest, and mem
bers Of the Central Prohibition Ex-
eculive Committee classified it as it
appears in order to make it more
convenient for reference to all, and
to aid them in prosecuting the Pro
hibition work, which it has materi-
ally done. Where signeI's vocation
was known or thought with certainty
TO be known, it was given ; where
there was doubt or uncertainty
it was simply designated as "un-
known" There was no desire oI
intention on the part of the cIas9iti-
ers to cast personal reflections upon
any one, for had there been, in al
least few instances, the classified
tion might have been different. So
far from It, however, much pains
and trouble were taken to obla II the
list as correct as it appears.
As to TIE LEADERS com
ments on the petition, which have
also been attacked, we here repeat
that, "1Hogetheg It is the most mot
ley petition ecer gotten up here,'
and we here challenge successful
contra fiction of this statement -
not that there are not some Of the
principal business men and property
holders and most reputable citi-
Gems of Brookhaven upon it though
we wish it were otherwise, this we
are free TO admit but from these it
grades down taking in the very scra
pings OF the town. even to the inclu
sion Of eX-convicts from the State
Penitentiary. This is what makes
it motley" and why many Of the
respectable signers have felt uncom
Portable at seeing their names in
such company, and for such a cause.
1t is the fact here presented, too,
which makes our present liquor law
inadequate. BY The aid of a respec
table minority who from one reason
or another can be induced to sign H.
quor petitions, saloon men by gath
ering ur all of the riff raft and bar
room loafers can general y manage
to muster q formidable array OF
names that can only be overcome in
most communities by most deter
mined and persistent effort on the
part of the friends of temperance
and good morals.
In conclusion we will add that
THR LEADER is MAXIM personal war
fale on no one, and wishes To avoid
all offensive personalities. 1t may
make caps" but it leaves Others to
fit them. Neither in publishing the
petition nor its comments thereon
has it transcribed the legitimate
bounds o: journalism. And ful ther,
it might be well for over-scusitive
people to keep in mind this fact, If
there should ever be another liquor
petition besides this one filed with
The City Clerk-something, from the
present outlook, barely possiJie,-
we will publish that too so that it
can be easily read, just as we have
this one,