The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-04-24
The Prohibitionists.

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il must be conceded by ell intelligent
minds that the ranks ofthe prohibition
lists in Mississippi are full of earnest,
upright, conscientious men aud women
whose single purpose is wholly unself-
ish, and whose sole object is the pub
lie good. The present purpose is not
to discuss prohibition, but to say, that
the prohibitionists, rs n distinct or
ganization, and as class of people
coming together upon the idea primal
rily of prohibition, have taken position
i'm respect to other public questions
that is we'll worthy the acceptance of
all good citizens.
The prohibitionists, in harmony
with what the Commonwealth believes
to be the best element of the demo-
cratic party, have opposed the whole
system of convict leasing, State and
county. and have done more than any
other set of people in the whole state
to secure the adjustment of this inta-
my.
Standing upon the principles of JUS
tice and humanity involved they have
struck this public evil, this institution
that holds the spells of the state. the
heaviest blows, that it has received.
They have spared not argument, per-
suasion and honest protest, and their
efforts will yet end i'm the victory of
reform.
The prohibitionists almost unani-
mously have advocated state con-
ventiOn, and one of their purposes is
to reform election methods and purify
the ballot. Mr.. Gambrell, one of the
most eminent of prohibition leaders,
has expressed his convictions and
views in clear and fearless terms, and
he speaks not only for himself, but
the sentiment of many prOhibitiOnists.
The prohibitionists in common with
the best class of our people, have been
the uniform advocates of law and or
der in the state of Mississippi. They
are solidly opposed to the mob and to
lynch law and all manner OF lawless-
ness. No class of men in the state
will stand more solidly by Gov. Stone
in his determination to place the law
above the mob, who will more ear
nestly stand by the right or more
heartily condemn wrong doing wher-
ever it may be.
While the Commonwealth has not
advocated prohibition, it has never
had any liberation for intemperance,
and it recognizes with genuine gratifi-
cation the public usefulness of the
men and women in the prohibition
ranks. Still it doubts the prOpriety
of injecting into the campaign for del
egates to the constitutional cOnven-
ton an issue that is calculated to Gre
ate so much friction among our peO-
pie, and to divert their attention from
question for the convention to settle.
jackson Commonwealth.
The above, coming as it does from
an i-ProhibitiOnist, and one who
himself was one of the most potent
advocates of Constitutional COnven-
ton, and who has struck the leasing
system and lawlessness in all it's forms
some of the hardest blows, is a frank
and generous acknowledgement heart
lily appreciated by ProhibitiOnists.
AS our esteemed contemporary well
says, coming together primarily upon
the idea of Prohibition, the Prohibi-
tionists have been among the foremost
advocates of many other needed re-
forms, and it is no less refreshing than
gratifying to see at least one editor
in the State who, though differing
with them as to the practicability of
Prohibition as remedy, can divest
himself of bitter, unreasoning preju-
dice, and in manly, candid way,
give them the credit to which they are
really entitled.
Nor are PrOhibitionists, as our es
teemed contemporary seems by his
closing sentence to suppose: RESPONSE
BILE for "injecting into the campaign
for delegates to the constitutional con-
vention" this issue. They recognized
that ballot reform was, and of right
should be, the great OvershadOwing
question to be considered. Knowing
by plainest proof that very large
majority of the white people and Dem
ocrats of the State are already Prohi-
bitionists, and that their cause, on a
fair and unprejudiced hearing, would
be safe in the hands of convention
of Mississippi's truest and wisest men
when they came to form new organ
ic law, they would have been content
to say nothing on this subject until
the convention met, had not the Ii
quor power set to work to fOrestall
any favorable action whatever, by
undertaking to pledge candidates and
prospective candidates in advance to
ignore Prohibition altogether, and at
the same timo threatening if such
concession were not made, to fill the
convention with an inferior class of
men that would lower the standard
of it's personnel and seriously leopard
ize other vital interests, including
ballot reform itself. When the gauge
of battle was thus thrown down the
Prohibitionists took it up, and con-
sciOus of their strength in the State
and the rectitude of their cause, they
will main tain it to the end.