Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-02-12
p-R0BfBrTr0g NOW.

hibltiOn question ha8 aaauineu = new
phase. We commend the situation 70
the careful consideration Of our Leg.
islature, before Il does something that
may work more harm than good.
Judge Brewer, Of the United States
Circuit Court, has decided In sub
stance this: any State may have all the
prohibition II wishes, provided 1t pays
damages done private property. He
is positive thatSll the breweries, dis
tilleries and so forth, destroyed, or
damaged by the State must be paid for
by the State.
There is 10 telling how far this
decision may be stretched, for all those
owning fixtures or other property,
necessary 10 the manufacture or sale
Of liquor will rush in with their bills
for damages.
The highest authorities this side OF
the United States Supreme Court must
recognize this decision, and it would
be well for the Mississippi Legisla-
ture, to shape its course accordingly.
Since Judge Brewers decision,
another n similar in bearing'is re-
ferred to, as accurately sustaining the
same principle.
"Ihere was a famous case which
agi.ated the New Jersey Courts for a
long time, about forty years ago,
which involved similar considerations
1t was a suit against Cornelius W
Lawrence, the Mayor Of New York,
who ordered a large amount of prop.
erty to be destroyed during the great
fire Of 1885, to recover the value of the
property. The defense was that it was
done by authority Of law of the State,
and under the pressure Of urgent
necessity, to prevent the spread of a
condagration which threatened tn
whole city. 1t was held by the Court
of last resort that The law vas void
because it did not provide for COM
DpnsatiOn. The CCurt used this NJ
phatic language:
The same principle applies, whether
private property is used for public
benefit or destroyed for public benefit
tc-Tit: that there shall be no violation
Of private right, or deprivation Of
private property, by the sovereign
power without just compensation.
Any other construction of this Con-
stitutional provision seems as incon-
sistent with natural justice as with
sound law and sound sense"
If private property may not be
destroyed to stop a conaagration, il
certainly may not re done to permit ex.
periments by Prohibitionists.
Our Legislature should adopt The
high and careful license plan, and put
the damages on those who sell liquor
to drunken persons or minors. They
will all have to come to the Democratic
doctrine, before they are done with it.
WE have received a copy of the
Report Of the Industrial Institute al d
College for Girls at Columbus. 1t is
gotten up in very compact and attrac.
tive style and Is destined to convince
our Legislature of the value of the
institution.
We copy the report of the commit
tee of Trustees, as it is short and to
the point:
His Excellency Governor Robert Lowry, Ex
O1ieio President of the Board of Trustees o.
the Industrial Institute and College:
We herewith transmit to you the
report Of the President of this Col
lege, feeling that we have great cause
to be gratifed at the very Aatterine
auspices under which it began its ca
rec last October. The large patronage
which it has had from the beginning
the earnest desire of hundreds NOR,
of our people to have its privileges TO
their daughters, the great and varie(
advantages which it affords, the extra
ordinarily low figure 10 which the ex
penses have been brought, the careful
and prudent management which hai
guided its operations, the favor which
it has won from our citizens and from
other States, all bespeak for it the con
sideration and fostering carr Of thu
Legislature.
Signed: ]. 7. HARRISON,
j.. j. THORNTON,
Committee,
TIE Republicans in the Senate have
by a party vote, passed the bill admit.
ting Dakota to the Union. There is
no probability that the bill will pass