Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-04-21
THE LEGISLATURE COMPLIMENTED
Mississippi and Louisiana Morally Con-
trasted.
BERWICK, La, April Z, 1892.


BERWICK, La, April Z, 1892.
Dear Mr.. Editor:
My heart is so filed with gladness
the fact that we have, at last, secured
Scientific Temperance Instruction,
that | am prepared to forgive the late
Legislature for failing to grant us
statutory prohibition: but, am
possessed very much of the spirit of
old Miss Sallie Blake, who, after one
of her begging expeditions, exclaim-
ed: "SomebOdy put three eggs in my
basket wish they had put three
more ~ Comparisons are odiOus, it
is true, but, by way Of a soothing
potion, for the benefit of the legisla-
tors who are being so hotly excOriated
by our valiant prohibitiOnists, please
print the enclosed resume of the laws
of Louisiana relative to the liquor
traffic. They stand as sad commen-
tary upon the moral and political situ
alton in this State and make the
"Dram. shop" chapter of the annetat
ed code of Mississippi loom up grand
ly as II fair and shining monument to
an educated public sentiment, that
will eventually materialize into the
best "things hoped for by the most
ardent and aggressive champion of
the temperance cause. The condition
of affairs in Louisiana is appalling !.
The saloon and the lottery have ruled
so automatically and for so long a
period, that the will-power of the
people seems paralyzed and all good
effort intimidated The feeble laws
above cited are boldly and openly
violated, often by the officers them
selves. If man is indicted, the
grand iuries find no true bills and
Judges pass no adverse sentence. An
ex-sherilf of st. l. parish told me
the following incident which occurred
in his presence a man who was in
dicted for carrying concealed weapons
approached the district judge before
whom he was to appear and on pre-
tense of comforting privately with him,
put his hand carelessly around the
judges waist and taking hold of the
pistol that was in the pocket of the
latter, shook it gently and said ::
"Judge, / have one of these on, too.
What shall | do with it n "Slip it in
to this drawer" whispered the judge.
The case went by default.
A few weeks ago, on the train 60
ing to New Orleans, overheard part
of a conversation that was carried on,
principally, by dark, wiry little
Frenchman. In a burst of wrath, he
exclaimed: II wouldn't live III such a
State as Mississippi! have partner
in the cotton business there and
thought ! would settle near him, but
since that last Legislature has met,
all of citizens rights are taken away
from him A man can't smoke, can't
chew, can't drink, can't even take
pictures on Sunday! started to take
some pictures last Sunday and was
fined $500! wouldn't live in such a
State | am going back to the free old
State of Louisiana there man can
smoke, can chew, can drink, can take
pictures on Sunday and do anything
else he wants to and nothing is done
to him. am going back to Louisiana
and there / intend to stay" The
angry little Frenchman unwittingly
paid compliment to the '.last Legis-
lature" and explained the situation in
Louisiana Perfectly.
There is drugstore in little town
on the l. C. road that shows to the
world this hopeful sign: 81. Bloom"
1t would be an application of the
eternal fitness of things if it were
blazoned over every saloon in Louis
lana, for they "bloom. everywhere
and in the greatest profusion in
country places, in boats anchored by
the waters edge-and, in towns, they
blossom in heavy clusters. The
shadows lie deep over this beautiful
country, but through the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, the
light of better day is dawning.
Yours, for Reformation,
KFApNrEy