Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-11-22
WHISKY OR WATER.
The Remarkable Contest in Progress at
Atlanta, Ca, on the Question Of
Prohibition.
Every Element of Society Stirred Up,
and E0thi1g Else Talked
About but
The Election ON Wednesday Next-Phe.
nemenal Features Developed by
the Canvass.

ATLANTA, GA, November 2l.-On next
Wednesday will close the most remarkable
contest ever carried on in any Southern
city, when Atlanta will decide whether
the sale of liquor shall be prohibited or
not. For ten years the temperance agita-
tion has been carried on in Georgia, which
has 30 far succeeded that now out of 49,
counties of the State, the sale of liquor is
only allowed in fifteen. These fifteen coun-
ties are the seats of large cities, where the
liquor element has large property interests
at stake. The principle by which the agi-
tation was carried on is known as that of
"local option" 1t has been preached in
each community IS a moral and police
measure, thus meeting the support of both
political parties, both!colors, andtbe entire
moral element of society. 1t was not until
the movement reached thelarge cities that
any
SERIOUS OPPOSITION
was met. These local option ele ctions
were held under special acts OF the Legis-
la;ure. The business interests CT the
large cities were always strong enough to
| prevent the passage Of such local option
| act, so far as they we're themselves con
cerned, hence the Legislature passed a
| general local option bill under which the
ordiraries Of the counties were required
| to order elections upou the petition of a
| given number of citizen5. The first city
to which this was applied was Atlanta. An
| Lection on the question was ordered by
| Ordinary Calhoun, on TIE petition of $500
| voters, to take place November 18th.
| Then began a canvass which has dsvel-
oped most remarkable features. The
| highest vote ever cast, even in a presi-
Dental year, was a little over 5000. The
registration in this election has run up to
1000.
q PRoHIBIrIoNIST5
organized a strong committee, backed by
nsaIly all the preachers lin the city, with
Senator Co'quitt, D5strict-Attorney b. II.
Hill, and other prominent men of activity,
at work. The brunt of the battle, how
ever, has fallen IN the shoulders of the
Rev. J. B. Hawthorne, the celebrated Bap-
fist preacher. The Rev. Sam Jones, Gel.
Sam Small, the Rev. Atticus G. Haygood,
the Rev. w. H. Fulton, and others, have
for ten days been addressing audiences of
from 5000 to 5000 in the Sam Jones gospel
| tent. The anti Prohibitionists have been
equally active, being led by julius Brown,
son of Senator Brown, the Hon. Albert
Cox, and many others. They have been
particularly active in committee work.
Tne most
POLITICAL FEATURE
o. the campaign has been the breaking up
of party aud color lines. The meetings OF
b tn parties are attended by whites and
dicks, and earnest efforts have been
II de by both sides to capture the colored
V tets. For this purpose speakers of both
sides have addressed large bodies of col.
ored men, but they have imported promi-
mt co'ored speakers, such ss Bishop
CimpbelI of Philadelphia, Bishop Turner
and ex Congressman JEFF Long. The Ia
dies, too, have taken up the contest with
vigor. In a word, every element of 60
cie:y, sll ages, sexes sn1 colors, are stirred
mp, and nothing else is talked of but pro
Liniticn. The general feeling is that il
Atlanta goes for prohibition the move.
ment will spread rapidly through all the
Southern States.