The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-07-19
Temperance in Mississippi
BY W. G. BLACK, II. II.

+ Mr.. EDITOR: The temperance work
ers of Mississippi have long felt the
need of more compact and thorough
organization. We have been too
much like an army fighting Ivy regi-
ments. This want of close organiza-
! ton lost lis several counties during the
local option contest of 1886. Real
izing our lack at this point, the State
Prohibition Executive Committee
some months ago took initiatOry steps
toward supplying this desideratum.
The subcommittee, having the mat
ter i'll hand, have perfected a plan of
organization. \ State Prohibition
Bureau has been organized, with head
quarters i'll Meridian. The affairs of
the Bureau are to he managed 10y
Board of Control, consisting of nine
members, three from each of the chief
temperance organizations of the State,
viz: the State Prohibition Convention,
INV Nbpu ltIiplU - anu W ulIidh =
Christian Temperance Union. The
personnel of the Board, H. at present
constituted, is as follows: DIR. r.. \.
Rowan, WcSson; w. IL. Patton: Shu-
buta; John A. Lewis, Meridian; w. G..
Black, J. b. Gambrcll. Meridian, ID. :.
Harmon, Meridian: Mrs NJ. VI. Smell.
Columbus; Mrs. w. +. Hurlbutt, Me
ridian; Mrs. II. b. kells, Meridian.
The officers of the Board are: w. c.
Black. President: John y. Lewis, sec
rotary and treasurer; and j. ii. Gam
brell, corresponding secretary. The
revenues of the Bureau are to he de
rived chiefly from annual member
ships at five dollars each. We hope
to get, at least, thousand annual
memberships within the next three
months. This will give us five thous
and dollars. Inaddition to this we hope
to receive donations in larger sums.
With such fund in hand we can Sc
cure speakers, procure literature, and
do various other kinds of work that
is much needed. We hope our friends
throughout the State will at once
rally to our support. Don't wait for
Il personal solicitation to contribute.
Send your contribution at once to the
treasurer, john \. Lewis, Meridian,
and you will receive by return mail a
certificate of membership in the Blu
/ reau. Friends of the temperance cause.
it is important that you give us your
hearty cooperation, and that prompt
/ lN. Local option contests will be
! brought OH in several counties during
7 81 y
awake and thoroughly organized; and
if we play the part of the sluggard,
we may expect reverSes. There is no
/ ground, however, for Encouragement.
Our greatest danger is not in the enc
my. but in ourselves. What we have
most to fear is sloth, Indifference and
over-cOnfidcnce i'll our own ranks.
While we are asleep the foe is secretly
working among that element of our
population which is always the source
of danger in Il crisis like this. Those
of us who occupy Il vantage ground
for overlooking the whole field have
indubitable evidences that the friends
of liquor are seeking to build up Il
whisky party in the State through the
agency of the ignorant and vicious
colored vote. | say ignOrGnt and ri
cjous colOred vote, for the better class
Ofcolored people are with us to il man.
| have not the space to give, and it
would hardly be best for me to give
just now, the facts upon which base
this assertion as to the intention Of
the liquOrites. Suffice it to say, how
ever, that there is no doubt about the
matter. If the good people of the
State are not willing to see corrupt men,
who are tools of the liquor traffic, ride
into office on the back of ignorance
and vice, then it is high time for them
to bcstir themselves. Facts may be
given in the near future that will be
startling to many of our people. Pa
pers friendly to the cause are request
ed to copy this.
Below is the Constitution of the
Bureau.