The Brookhaven leader., 1888-06-21
THE W. {. L. /.
TWO VAIN APPEALS To DEMOCRA-
CY-oNE TO THE MISSISSIPPI STATE
CONVENTION, AND THE OTHER TO
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION.
Roth SHAMELESSLY IGNORED BY
THE SLEEK POLITICIANS WHO
DANCE TO THE CRACK OF THE
RIMSELLERS' WHIP.
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST me

To the Democracy at Mississippi III Con
vrntinn assembled:
The members of the WOmcn's Chris
tian Temperance Union. of Mississippi,
unite in sending you this plea and
await your action with the greatest
sOlicItude. Having never declared
ourselves antagoniStic to the Demo
cratic party, and being the wives,
mothers. daughters and sisters of vo-
terS composing that party, we claim
the right not only to address YOU this
communication, but to he heard with
that consideration which patriotic
Mississippi men give to Mississippi
women.
Believing that you feel one prime
object urging the perpetuation of the
Democratic party to be the protection
of women and children, financially
and socially. we are led to ask you to
take such action in your present Con
Vrntion as will show that this Sa
cred part of your constituency has re-
ceived unmistakable proof of your
guardian care.
We point you to the disastrous Ii
quor traffic in this State and charge it
with having caused more want and
sorrow to come upon the women and
children than was brought them by
by the four years of bloody war. We
affirm that the liquor traffic has been,
and is more cruel to our people and
more ruinOus in its results than war,
pcstilcnce and famine. 1t is more
dangerous than fire brands to the
: thousands of untimely graves where
in have fallen men who, but for this
iniQuitous traffic, would have been
kind husbands. fathers, sons and
brothers. as well as useful members of
society, and worthy citizens of the
State. SO fearful has been the wreck
+ ing march of this death dealing traffic
that a contemplation of its further
work appalls our hearts and makest the
past and present prophetic of a bloody
future In the face of these truths
we think there is no subject of public
t welfare so prcssingly urging itself up
on Your attention.
We are grateful for the prohibitory
legislation that has been secured from
Democratic w-makers. We will
ever be mindful of every good gift Sc
cured from the Democratic party,
but in view of the extreme need of
the present we beg you to take more
: advanced steps than ever for the good
Of morality and prosperity.
We implore yon in the name of our
women. and children, and suffering
humanity to place a plank in your
platform which will declare in favor
of home protection against the liquor
traffic.
No action that YOU may take upon
the tariff or any other matter can be
so important as this because this is
the life and death issue which is now
agitating the thoughts of mississippi
ans more profoundly than any other
question. Such a plank as we petit
ton You to place will crush the charge
that the Democratic party is whisky
1,rntanfinr onI fncta1inu thn
traffic and open saloons, and will
: shield prohibition Democrats from
the accusation of disloyalty and CO.
operation with other political parties,
made repeatedly by the criers of
"sumptuary laws" and personal lib
erty." Such plank will forbid the
carrying on of the liquor traffic in the
. sheltering name Of Democracy, and
t will keep that party's garments free
from the blood, misery and poverty
which inevitably flow from this traffic.
We ask that this plank may give no
uncertain sound
That it may be more definite in it's
wording than simply an endorsement
of the "lOcal option law now in force
in this State.
Local option has worked good for
prohibition in localities where the
white vote exceeded the negro vote,
and because of the predominance of
the negro vote in so many counties
local option is not the thing for which
we ask your approval. We are led to
ask for more than local option plank,
because the record shows that local
option brings the negro into politics
as prominent factor, thus threaten
: ing the inundatiOn of white suprema-
cy, thereby working disaster to Dem
ocratic elections and primaries.
We are made bold to urgently pre-
sent our plea for home protection
plank in your platform, because you
, must be conscious of thesintense pres
sure now bearing upon the Democrat
ic party by that body of its voters who
represent the intelligence, philanthro-
ply, patriotism, and christian citizen
ship of this State. This pressure for
three years and more has been in
creasing in power and conservation,
demanding recognition. In this
knowledge of existing circumstances,
certainly the strength of the Demo
cratic party cannot be more wisely
augmented or Solidified than by in