The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1885-07-16
STATE PROHIBITION CONYEE-
Tl0R.
A Grand Meeting--Tnree Hundred
Delegates Present Representing
Fifty-Four Counties.

Ivy II Jul SOduklC
From the Sword aud Shield.
/ The Convention met and was call.
ed to order ST 1910 hv Rev. G.. Il
Galloway, Chairman Slate Exec
/ utivc Committee.
Prayer was offered hy Rev Mr.
/ Abbey, of Yazoo.
After that, Mr.. Galloway said lee
was rcioiccd to sec such a Convcn
( ton assembled. 1t was. lie thought.
second 10 none in quality and repre-.
, sentative character. lie reviewed
the progress Of the movement, and
expressed the opinion that the pres
cnt policy Of the Executive Com
mittce, that had been productive Of
such grand results. should lie adj.
/ hercd to for The ensuing year. But
said he, that party that openly op
poses Prohibition had as well go in,
To liquidation.
Loud cheers greeted the close OF
the gentleman remarks.
On motion, J. T. Chrisman, If
Lincoln. was elected temporary
Chairman. and j. IL. Anderson. OF
, AUala. Secretary.
The Chairman was introduced by
DR.. G. Il. Galloway and spoke in
substance as follows.
Gentlemen of the Convention.
The march of civilization has
brought us face To face with the
question as to whether we will fOs-
ter the Liquor Traffic or suppress
it. The researches e thoughtful
mon, the extortion Of patriots and
philanthlopists, have forced its con
>idcration. All along The lines Of
political, scientific and philosnphic
thought, the question is rrc,iorni
nant We are competed to take 20
>ition one way or the other. We
cannot escape tHe questions if We
would. We ought not to desire to
postpone the solution Of 1t if We
could
There is no Dispute about what
the people of this country pay an
uually for Intoxicating liquors. It
is a question Of figures and stati,t-
e. Il amounts 10 more in dollars
and cents than does the civil ser
vice of This COuntv-morc than it
costs 10 sustain the municipal. the
county, the State and the Federal
Governments. The nation pays
more for ll0uor in one year than one
I half Of tie national debt.
! "But ii is said in reply 1ba, the
money j. not lost 1t remains among
! us .but, gentlemen of the convention,
the money paid represents the
amount Of productive labor that IS
lost. for it adds nothing to the com
monwealth. 1t represents the heart
ache aud heart break Of stalwarl
men as well as that Of the widow
and the fathcrless. The man who
attempts to put aside question OF
it's III agnitufc with a sncet, shows
his want of common sense.
"A great Gcal Of anxiety is mani
tested by certain Of oar fellow citi-
zcns lest the advocates of Prohihi
ton will force the question into poll
tics. We do not desire TO do So, but
We are compelled to organize what
ever may be the result Without a
close organization we shall not bt
able to irtllence the public policy 81
the State, and without additional
legislation the present policy
AMOUNTS to fostering the traffic.
| We do MT wish to disturb the
balance nf parties and hence we ask
that the Legislature shall give H.
local option bv counties and thus
reIegate it to communities that they
NAV decide he question themselves
Where by reason of l.uhlic scnti-
mcnt being adverse to the suppress
sion Of the traffic. it could not be
pnfo'c pd, it will not he adopted, Int
in communities whore the people
are educated upon the question, and
morality is stIong and batative
they will adopt it and it will be en-
forced. We are not in favor of a
cast-iron law, which applies to every
community in the State. Under ou'
system laws have to be enforced
through the instrumentality of iuripS
and much of the odium which
attaches to prohihitorv legislation
arises from the fact that it has been
torc cd upon communities that did
not want it.
"The principal hurthens Of GOV,
eminent fall upon the counties
They are taxed to enforce the crimi
nal laws and support the paupcrs
They settle disputes Of their peoI l.
and keep mp their court houses and
iails, and they onoht to he allowed
to say whether liquor shall be sold
within their limits.
st is not fair or Just that - little
corporation composed of twenty-five
persons should in defiance of the
public sentiment of the balance Of
the comfy, engage in the traffic and
fly blow go to- speak, public senti
ment and public morals"
On motion, a committee of five