The Brookhaven leader., 1886-05-06
THE CONTEST IN ALCoRN.
The Prombltlonlsts Triumphant in
Defeat.
A Good Report from "the Brother
in Black" and the Young Men.

NdN, 'udli Nidu W Iut tN'dNI L l''''''
ton Executive Committee, gives an
interesting account of the late Local
Option contest in Alcorn county and
its results :
CoRISrH, Miss April q, 1856.
The Local Option election OF Al.
corn county was held on Tuesday,
April 2Otlr. Every thing passed of
quietly. l never heard Of an un-
kind word being spoken. The
county was carried in favor of sale
hy the small majority OF IL. OF ten
voting precincts, 6 gave majority
against the sale. The first and
fourth districts gave a majority
against the sale.
The territory in and around
Corinth embracing q radius OF five
miles, where our five mile law has
been in existence for years, gave a
majority against the sale; thereby
showing that they did not want II
sold in that locality. And it will
not be, first, because we have our
five mile law, and also a chartered
institution Of learning; secondly,
we could prevent them 10y petition
if we were not protected hy our local
Prohibition law. Neither can it be
sold in any town in the county, for
no one can get % free holders to
recommend him in any Of the small
towns. So you see that notWlth,
standing the antics gotta majority in
favor of sale, we are not much hurt
There were two things that him
dered us trcm carrying the election,
which think ought to be known.
If either had been removed We
would have carried it, One was, we
did not have time enough. The cleo
ton was precipitated upon us by
the whisky men, allowing only two
weeks after the election was ordered
before it was held | suppose their
object was to prevent agitation.
Nearly every place where the sub
jrct was agitatcd gave us q majority
against the sale. The neighbour
hoods that gave the largest majority
for the sale were the most obscure
and remote from the towns, and
places that we did not reach. | am
convinced that all that is necessary
to get the people to vote it out OF
this county is to get them to under
stand the question. One other
thing that was against us and |
mention it with shame and with sor-
row was, that a humber of church
members voted and gave their in
tiuence for tue sale Of liquor. If we
had had their votes and influence it
would have given us a complete vic
tory. | want to say in eXOneratlOn
of the young men who were mem
bers Of the church, that they were
almost unanimously against the sale,
and in almost every instance where a
church member voted and worked
for the sale it was an old man--those
brought up under such circum-
stances as to give them q false idea
of liberty. 1t was not an uncommon
thing on the day of the election to
see the father on one side working
for the sale, and the son on the
other side working against it. There
is one thing very evident and that
is, if the traffic is not prevented be-
tore, it will be when God has taken
those persons out Of the way who
are holding to ideas on this subject
of fifty years ago. We made gal
liant fight and feel that we gained a
grand victory. The whisky men
expected to carry this county by 500
majority, and instead of that they
got the pltiful majority of Al; hence
they are very quiet, and there is no
growing on their part. If they were
not blind, they could see that their
traffic IS doomed in this country.
Christian men and women are de-
termined that it shall no longer In
wade their homes, destroy their
peace and happiness and prosperity.
For whatever success we may
have had in this battle we are large
~ indebted to the ladies and to the
negroes. 1t cannot be said of the
negroes of Alcorn county that they
favor the sale of whisky, tor | verify
believe that majority voted against
it. Some of the most active and
efficient workers were from among
their ranks.
We are not discouraged, but on
the other hand we are ready for
another fight any day, and the next
time We feel certain we will gain the
victory.
We give thanks to Almighty God
for what he has done for US in this
election.
Yours fraternally,
j. H. MITCHELL.
The above mentioned election was
set aside last Tuesday on account of