The Brookhaven leader., 1890-04-10

sought to be influenced scarcely
suspect their Interior Object, and
good men even are liable to be de-
ceived and misled.
In this contest, forced upon us by
the Whisky Combine of the North and
West for the purpose of gratifying
their greed at the cost of our morali-
ty and manhood, we need to he alert,
wise and courageous. They have
great sums of money ut their COM
mand. They will combine with lot
teries. gamblers, corrupt politicians
and the great mass of ignorant ne
groes. Like all great combines, only
worse than any other, this whisky OIL
igarchy will form alliances with other
corrupt and corrupting trusts to carry
their point. We can only save our
State from perpetual prostitution to
the evil forces now arrayed against us
by opposing them with all the strength
at our command.
Undoubtedly the great question be-
fore the convention will he Ballot Re-
form. Something must be done to in
sure white or intelligent supremacy
by legal and moral methods. This
necessitates cutting off the enormous
ignorant negro vote which threatens
us with destruction. 1t will, there
fore, he unwise to support any one fol-
seat in that convention whose past
record or present alliances suggest
that lie desires to use this ignorant
vicious vote. Politicians will not de-
stroy the foundations upon which they
stand. Mark for defeat those men
who mass and use tile negroes to car
~ out their personal schemes. Men OF
that character cannot be safely trust
ed with the main work of the cOnven-
ton, if with any part of its work
Beginning in good time, select only
such men as measure up to the stand
ard of well-rounded manhood.
We do not mean to say that no one
but ProhibitiOnist should be sent to
the convention. We recognize the
fact that there are intelligent, patri-
otto men who are not avowed Prohi
bitionists. While having no sympa-
thy or alliances with the degrading
forces of society, through raising OF
lack of careful study of the question,
they fail to see that Prohibition is
best. From the ranks of such men
the army of Prohibition is constantly
recruited. We only insist, that no
man be sent to the convention who is
in sympathy with, and interested in,
the great evils the convention is call
ed upon to remedy.
AS to constitutional Prohibition, let
us say, that the Prohibition COnven-
ton from the first, and on consistent
ly from year to year, has declared for
L" the legal and constitutional suppress
sion of the liquor traffic" This is our
goal; and it ought to be understood
fully by our public men and all 9TH
ers that the PrOhibitionists of Missis-
sippi are unalterably determined to
have State Prohibition. They have
been patient and laborious; they have
forborne to jeopardize other interests,
but they have never expected to stop
short of constitutional Prohibition.
They have safely passed the seduc-
tiOns of that gilded sham, high Ii
cense, and other snares, and stand for
an end of the partnership be-
tween the State and the crime pro-
ducing saloon. Therefore we will in
sist upon fair consideration of Pro-
hibition in the convention. We favor
an article in the new Constitution to
the effect that no saloon, gam
bling house, house of prosti-
tuition or lottery shall ever be
legalized in the State. All efforts to
regulate the traffic have signally failed.
Saloons are essentially lawless, and
they are the nesting places of gam
bling, thieving, murder, and prostitu
ton. They have no proper place in a
civilized State. 1t is better for the
convention to recognize its duty to
protect the homes of the people and
make an end of the struggle now, for
the question will never be settled till
it is settled right. The saloon has
long been a dominating and corrupt
ing influence in politics and must be
eliminated, for the liquor traffic is sat
isfed with nothing less than the full
control of the government in the in
terest of its destructive work.
Fortunately, we can go before the
Convention with an assured home ex-
perience of the benefits of Prohibition.
Wherever it has prevailed, crime has
decreased, social order has been es-
tablished, labor has improved, court
expenses have decreased, vast sums
of money have been saved to the peo-
pie and have gone into home comforts,
salOOnists and drunkards have become
good citizens, and peace and good
will have prevailed. Moral considera-
lions entirely aside, Prohibition COM
mends itself to the craftsmanship of
the country as an economic
measure alone. These are facts
known to our people, and are a thOus-
and times more convincing than the
reports of failure which come from
remote. points, circulated by those
having a moneyed interest to serve.
We invoke the aid of all good peo-
pie to make the coming Convention
one of great and lasting benefit to the
State. Let it be borne in mind that
virtue and intelligence are the fOun-
datiOns of peaceful and prosperous
commemorative. In this crisis we ap-
peal to the Christian ministers of all
denominations to keep their people
informed on the moral aspect of the
issues before us. We appeal to the
noble women of the State, who, in
war and peace, have been the helpers
of the right, to lend their influence and
give their prayers to saving our State
from the aliens whose God is mann
mon and who are now working for our
ruin. We appeal to the tillers of the
-I,1 Il.