The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1885-04-02
Prohibition In Mississippi.

TO escape to- ngitate and give prominence
| to efforts to unite the majority of the
people to extirpate by force liquor manu-
facturc aud liqour sale. If we have
wrongly stated their purpose, we hope
some of their leaders will place us right,
and state precisely what their object is.
We state it ~ above Judging 10y informa-
tion we have gained in the press and by
the call for Prohibition Convention soon
tn assemble at Jackson. As We under
stand it. this Convention is to unite the
PrOhibitionists and elect as many rs pos
siblc to the Legislature aud to other Of
fees. In other words, if the Prohibition
lists were united and sufficiently powerful.
they would follow the example set them
by Maine. Kansas and Iowa, and prohibit
the manufacture and sale Of malt liquors,
wine and intoxicating spirits in MiSsissip-
pi If this is not so we trust the public
will at once I've informed. 1t is important
to all to know, for il it is only temper
ance movement to be urged as religion
and temperance should be urged, with
due respect for the property and liberties
of the citizen, the Democratic party will
bid those engaged in it God-spced and en-
courage any Democrats who desire to aid
it, Ii on the other hand il is n design to
attack the property and liberty of the
citizen. as they have attacked in Iowa
and other States, the Democratic party
must stand by the principles it proclaim
ed at Chicago, oven if it costs the loss of
some members.
Intemperunce is fearful and vast evil,
but it cannot he cxtirratcd 10y force, any
more than human beings can be made to
live MP to the pccaloguc By force. The
best the law can do is to protect all cit
liens in their rights, encourage temper
ancc and religion, and leave it for each to
decide for himself what lie will eat and
drink and to worship God according to
the dictates of his own conscience"
II is fine theory, no doubt, TO assume
that great bliss would follow a resolution
of the Prohibition Convention, that this
State shall prohibit the manufacture or
sale of liquor, but it can no more be car
red ont, and it is no wiser to attempt it,
than it would be to force the people of
the State to live up to the Ten Command
ments. The time has gone by to ask the
passage of laws to force citizens to obey
the Ten Commandments, and what folly
it is to attcmpb to enforce Prohibit ion by
statute enactment.-T icksburg Commercial
Herald.
AS it is always a pleasure TO rs to
enlighten the benighted, when it is
in our power to do sot We will gladly
furnish the desired Information to
the c. Ii. and few other journals
which seem unduly exercised over
the late action of the State Prohibi.
tion Executive Committee and Pro-
hibitionists in general.
In the first place, the Herald is
exactly correct when it assumes
that ait Prohibi;ionists were united
and sufficiently powerful, they would
follow the example set them by
Maine, Kansas and Iowa and pro
hibit the manufacture and sale of
malt liquors, wines and intoXicat-
ing spirits shat is, prohibit their
manufacture and sale as a 6eccroge.
There is no mistake about that.
But in its assumption as to how Pro
hibitionists expect and desire to ac-
complish this, our cotempora-
ry is woefully at sea. In the ma
ture of the case it can only be done
in conformity with the principles
and methods of our government, by
the consent of a majority, just as ev-
cry other great civil Cr moral reform
is wrought. Prohibitionists have
no intention or desire to resort
to physical "force" to carry their
point, as the Herald seems to half
dread, bat will use only the "iorce" Of
argument and reason, in conjunction
with the regularly constituted civil
agencies. There will be no blood
shed, so the editor can "possoss his
soul in peace"
1t has been the aim of leading
Prohibitionists for a long time to
secure the passage Of general
local option law, whereby the people
Of an entire county may decide, by
ballot, whether or not they will per.
nit the liquor traffic within their
bounds, just as certain counties have
been permitted to decide by ballot
whether stock shall be confined or
allowed to run at large. One whisky
shop affects to a greater or less eX-
tent the whole county, so the entire
county should be consulted as to its
right to exist. So far, however, all
efforts to secure such a law have
failed, partly on account of the bit
ter opposition OF whisky rings, and
largely on account of the fact that
Prohibitionists were not properly or
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