The Brookhaven leader., 1890-05-01

preiudices of the illiterate, has hun ).
dreds of votes against the one vote OF
the straightforward man. This state
of things trains politics down all the
time, for politicians are often casting
the many votes.
GAS to the old soldiers, they are
patriotic men, as rule, and, If the
question were put to them whether
they would fofegO the privilege of vo-
ting for the benefit of the Statej they
would say yes. But any way, 1T is
monstrous craftsmanship that would
ieopardize the whole State to preserve
a privilege to Il class, when that class
confessedly, cannot wisely use the
privilege. The convention should look
at the substance of things, and he
brave enough to- ito right. Ballot re-
form is the supreme issue before us,
aud we ought not to play at it, but
adopt genuine reform measures"
"You are n prdhibitionist. What
have you to cay about that subject
and the conventionf"
fAvORS CONSTITUTIONAL SUPPRESSION.
eyes, l am against the saloons.
They belong with lotteries, gambling
bells and like immoral institutions.
They are the natural homes and nest
ing places of all the evils of society
the clubhouses of gamblers, thieves
prostitutes, murderers and low poll
ticians. They have become great,
and in many places dominant factor,
in politics. They elect and control
officers, and always in the interest of
immortality and lawlessness. Every
effort to restrict them within bonds
has proved abortive. The business is
so VIGOROUSLY evil that all classes of
good people are against it. All re-
strictive measures have failed to abate
the untold evils of tire saloons. am
out and out for making an end of
them in righteousness. 1t is not now,
and never will be, question of the
utter annihilation of the drink habit
but rather Of minimizing it and de-
nuding it of its worst features. Pro-
hibitiOn does this. MFR. Gladstone
says: Government cannot make peo-
pie good, but it can make it easy to
do right and hard to do wrong
That is the sum of human wisdom on
the question of governmental inter
ference in the domain of morals. |
am for putting it in the Con stitution
that there shall never be any lottery,
saloon or house of ill-fanre legalized
in the State, and that the Legislature
shall have power to enact laws to sup
press these evils. Already a large
majority of the white counties of the
State have adopted prohibition, and
not one ever went back to the saloon
except by tie negro vote massed on
that side. The refuge of the saloon
in Mississippi now is the negro vote,
led usually by a foreign, unamerican
element, which neither loves nor ap-
preciates our free institutions. | can
not see why tlfe will of the great ma
jOrity of the white people of Missis-
sippi, in this matter, should not pre-
vail. If we elect to the convention
our best men, majority of them will
be Prohibitionists. The Prohibition
lists in nine consecutive conventions
have declared for legal and constitu-
tional prohibition, and we intend to
have it. In my opinion it would be
wise for the convention to settle the
question and settle it right. Give us
an intelligent ballot, cast by sober,
moral people, and Mississippi would
lead all the States in her rapid Gevel-
opment."
&c Do You think Prohibiti0nists will
make their caase an issue in the COM
ing election for seats in the conven-
tionW
THEY WILL KEEP AN EYE OPEN.
Gas much as they have done in
other elections. Whisky is in every
election, more or less, from that of
President down. Already the State
is being flooded with saloon literature
and candidates, PEAL and prospective,
are being Intercepted by whisky adj
vocates and committed to the perpet-
uation of the saloon. Prohibitionists
will likely not go to- sleep just now"
"Wili PrOifibitiOnists refuse to vote
for any one not of their faith?"
DRAWING TIE LINE.
~ think Prohibitionists recognize
the supreme Importance of the suf-
frage question, and, as a rule, they
will be conservative; but there is one
class of politicians whom they will
look after very closely, and that is
those who have heretofore massed the
ignorant negroes to carry whisky in
their counties. The convention
should be white, intelligent and NOR
al, and no man who is likely to- want
to use the negro vote ought to be put
on duty in convention called to
deal with the race question"
THE LEASING OF CONvICTs.
"What are your ideas on the leas-
ing of convicts?"
"The convict leasing system has
played itself ont in Mississippi. 1t
has been and must be as long as it is
tolerated an unmitigated evil. Gov.
Gordon of Georgia weA says: 1T puts
the cupidity of one set of men against
the humanity of another set of men,
And this last set have no way of help
ing themselves. 1t has gathered the
worst set of men together that ever
schemed against humanity or plum
dered the State. The convention
should respond to the enlightened
sentiment of tire State and make
short work of business that has
been our disgrace for years.
81 have said enough to indicate my
views. Give my compliments to the
Commercial and assure the manage
ment of my high appreciation of the
entarnrise an,t tho ahi iitv of their