Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-07-31
DISCUSSION 1T TERRY.

meeting at Terry for Thursday night
The anti-Prohibitionists afterwards ap-
pointed meeting for the same night
and put out posters that Col. Hamilton
and other distinguished men would
speak.
Our friends telegraphed Col. Hamilton
to ask joint discussion. His reply by
telegram was mo, thank you"
Col Hamilton could not go, and he
sent down Major Gibbs and Mr.. Al
brecht to represent him and the saloon
interest.
I arrived on the same train with
the champions of the other side
and proposed to Mr.. Gibbs a joint
discussion. He said that the matter
was with his friends and referred me to
the gentleman who is petitioning for a
saloon. He declined to take the re-
sponsibility and said he would consult
with other friends. Impatient Of their
delaywe sent one of the most influential
men of Terry to urge them to the agree
ment There are only very few
Of the voters Of Terry on the side of
whisky, and they had to yield to the
pressure and consent to the discussion
with the terms and arrangements all on
their side. They selected Rev. Mr..
Holloman, Of Hazlehurst, who was
present, by invitation of the Prohibi-
tionists, as the one who should divide
time with Mr. Gibbs, and with prom
ise upon the part of every other one to
be silent. They limited the speeches
to forty minutes and made Mr. Hollo-
man speak first without any rejoinder
We were glad to be able to get one side
before their people no matter how
great the disadvantages.
Mr.. Holloman made most telling
and happy effort. He is fresh from the
victory in Copiah and is full of enthusi-
asm. His first argument was that the
word of God was upon the side Of Pro
hibition, and by quotations and perti-
nent comments forced the conviction of
every believer in-the Bible, that in or
der to be true to his maker, he must ar
ray himself with the Lords workers to
lid the land of the curse of strong
drink.
He exploded and demolished the ed
ucation argument by showing from ac-
tual figures that two criminal cases in
Copiah county last year had cost the
county much more than had been paid
in from the whisky revenue. He also
had figures from Kinds county, showing
that more money had been expended on
account of criminal record than had |
been received from whisky taxes by So
981 go. That is to say that the county
would have been just that much better
off according to figures taken from the
Circuit Clerks record, if no whisky had
been sold during the year 1885.
He read an extract from letter from
the Superintendent of education in Co
piah county that there was more school
money in the treasury than had been for
fifteen years before" He read an ex-
tract from a communication from the
Chancery Clerk that "the grass was
growing in the walk towards the Jail and
the spiders were weaving their webs in
the locks. Glorious testimony from
county where Prohibition had been pre-
Eailing for ten months.
He showed up the inconsistency of the
dea of liberty being interfered with by
closing the dram shops He made many
ine appeals to the colored men and gave
hem plain and stirring truth.
Major Gibbs did not repute one single
IF the arguments put forth, but re-iter-
ated the old assertion that if the whisky
were abolished the taxes would
be increased and that right in the face
Of the uncontroverted facts of Mr.. Hol-
loman that both Copiah and Kinds coun-
ties had expended more money on ac-
count of the evils of drunkenness than
they had received from the the liquor
revenue.
True to the policy adopted by the
Anti's, the Major sought to array the
poor against the rich. Appealing to
these damaging prejudices he cried out
5hey won't break up Oxford University
nor Starkville nor the Girls school at
Columbus They are the schools for
rich people, but they will stop the coun-
Try schools. which are the only chances
for the poor children.
He sought to array the poor against
The clause in the Temperance law, pro-
viding for the signature of twenty five
free holders. Poor people can't sign; it
must be those who have houses and lots
md those who have landed estates.
Pitiful plea! The law requires free g