The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-10-21
PROHIBITION IN RALEIGH.
VI TX. y. H. BRci CLIFTON SHOWS
I'll Al III IL SUCCESS.
1 ne Mayors tourt Deserted. Eu>Int-~
improved. the III ONES tn. Poor Masi..
BIIshter by (Io>ing the Saloon..

Especial Cor. STArE CHEeNisLE.]
Approaching your position a. q ru1lt5.
cal newspaper, | furnish your leaLcr9 and
+ the press OF the country a statement ~
+ the workings OF our new experiment. the
+ ProhIbuory, or Local option Law
! Let Il be remembered that the law did
! not 20 into effect until the ISt day II
+ July. Since then 10 less than SIX poGti-
/ cal conventions have been held in the city.
! with Is many primary political meetings.
| need not do more than refer To the de
+ moraiAng custom of Treating lu our
American political contests. our local
+ option Law does not pr0hii. the private
bottle or barrel, aud regret To say too
many OF the candidates have more regard
for purchaseablc votes than for the pro
lection Of the law looking 10 the citizens
morals.
And in addition to the demoralIzing
elects OF the political excitement upon
which We are entering, it IS painful ia re
cord that our County commissioners, Il
majority of whom, standing by what they
Knew to be right at tirst, have yielded to
the saloon and poll icaI pressure, aud
granted licenses in townships around Us
where they We're not thought Of before the
adoption Of Prohibition III Raleigh With
this increased number of bar-roomS con
Nenlent to our people, of course we are
crippled III our efforts TO prove the benefits
of Prohibition
Another hindrance which We are trying
to control is the "Doctor'> Prescription, ="
which has been imposed upon our Drug
glStS Some OF these we have stopped and
are hoping to do SO with others Under
the rulings of the Supreme Court, As am
Informed, Il physician who gives a pre-
scription for Whiskey or any intoNicant
TO a person not needing the same as medi-
cine for physical trouble discovered after
diagnosis, is just as guilty of violation Of
the law as the party that sells. We have
not known this until very recently. We
propose to act upon it.
The practice and privilege Of the Capital
Club in selling liquors to its own members
and whoever they may choose To treat,
il also very much against our showing the
blessings Of Prohibition.
And yet, Notwithstanding all these
hindrances, some of which we anticipated,
and some of which humiliate US, in spite
Of all these We unhesitatingly declare that
the absence of the open liquor saloon is a
great blessing to the people Of Raleigh
Drunkenness is less frequent; Disturbances
of the peace are rare The Mayors docket
proves all that we ha hoped. Labor is
easier controlled and more reliable; the
places once dreaded even by the police,
are almost as quiet as the best. Even
''crcus day was orderly, and our excel
lent Chief of Police informs me that the
like of good order on such occasions has
never been known in his experience.
Business has certainly not been injured
by the closing of the liquor saloons |
challenge a denial of this assertion On
the other hand Raleigh is on the up
grade. 1t was asserted that farmers
NynnlI .L-at ut
cotton receipts daily. Have not been 50
good for years. Very few business houses
are empty; new ones are being built. All
classes of business look cheerful and all
our mechanics are employed one enter
prise started in the city employs as many
men as the closing of the saloons stopped.
The greatest good accomplished by the
Prohibition law is not seen on the surface
My life is for most part among the poor
and middle classes. know them in Raleigh
and speak with JOY when | say that in
the homes of the poor is to be seen the
blessings of ProhbitiOn-th wife and
children of many of the mechanics and
Iaboring men of Raleigh can tell of bless
ings that they have not hitherto enjoyed
for years. 1t can be seen in our public
schools, too, where the children of many
had not yet found their way.
Strangers coming to our city are quick
to notice the difference, and very many
have volunteered to tell me that they We're
surprised to see the effects as good as they
are.
Our Mayor who has stood the enforce
ment of all the laws, with his spendd
police force are doing all they well can to
secure a fair test of Prohibition, and to
them is due the praise of our good govern
ment.
We are yet in the beginning oft the work.
Only three months of trial. Considering
the undertaking surely local option is do
ing Well We beg all our people the
office seeker as well as quiet citizen-the
political managers, and all 10 lend us
their influence to lift up our people. Let
us have a fair chance. Be as honest to
Prohibition as any other law, and we shall
see still better and happier days.
n. b. BROUGHTON.
PARTIES are necessary for men to ac