The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-02
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT
of the Prohibition Contest and
Triumph in Atlanta.
Special to Times-Democrat.1

CD6Ctdl W
ATLANTA, Nov. 25.-The counting oe
the vote cast in the local option election
was completed at IL o'clock. The official
majority for prohibition is 226 votes.
The election was exciting in the extreme,
but passed off peacefully. The scenes
at the polls beggar description. Preach
ers were out in force and worked like
beavers, and ladies furnished lunch at
the polls to the Prohibition workers,
both white and colored Business was
almost entirely suspended.
Ten precincts in the county outside
the city gave the Prohibitionists 54S
majority. The two city precincts failed
to overcome it, North Atlanta giving
prohibition IL majority and South
Atlanta giving the anti-prohibitionists
a majority of 1872. Five thousand votes
were polled in the city and 5000 outside,
nearly 1000 votes less than the whole
registration. The result was not known
until the official count of South Atlanta,
the last precinct counted, and was a
genuine surprise.
The election just over has been with
out parallel in the history of Atlanta
elections. 1t stands alone. 1t has been
both unique and bitter to the last degree,
and altogether unprecedented. 1t was
held under the
GENERAL LOCAL OPTION BILL
passed at the last session of the Legisla-
ture by an overwhelming majority.
Already over 100 counties in Georgia
had declared for local option. The
object of the bill was to give the
counties which had not voted on the
question an opportunity to pronounce
for or against prohibition.
Long before the Governor had signed
the bill the Prohibitionists were up and
moving. Knowing that it would become
a law, they declared that under its pro-
visions they would oring on an election
at once in this county.
The bill prohibits the manufacture or
sale of all spirituous, malt and intoxi-
eating liquors, including foreign wines
1t allows the use of domestic wine and
wine for sacramental purposes. Accord
ing to the bill no druggist can sell any
of the interdicted liquors, even for
medical purposes. By the provisions of
the bill a petition addressed to the
ordinary by one-tenth of the qualified
voters in any county was sufficient to
bring on an election.
When it was signed by Gov Mcdaniel
the Prohibitionists began at once circu
lating a petition among the people. In
short time it had been signed by sew
eral thousand persons-far more than
one-tenth of the voters of the county
Ordinary Calhoun considered the pcti-
ton and ordered the election to take
place on the 25th of this month.
The county commissioners met and
appointed registrars for the twelve pre-
cincts Of the county.
When the books were opened
THE STRUGGLE BEGAN IN EARNEST.
This county had never registered more
than 1000 votes. But for this election |
she registered 900O Both sides worked |
like beavers during the registration, |
which continued forty days, closing on |
the 14th of this month. The white peo-
pie were hopelessly divided, and the |
great object of the opposing factions
was to secure majority of the colored
votes, by paying their taxes No man
was allowed to register unless all taxes
which had become due since the adop-
ton Of the Constitution of 1877, except I
for this year, were paid by him. He
had to take m oath to that effect before
Hundreds of dollars were
spent by both sides in paying up the
taxes Of voters, and the State and county
collectors took in about SO, 900 as a
result Of the interest. The bulk Of the
Eaxs paid up were poll taxes. E