Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-02-18
ENANCIPArE OUR PUBLIC MEN.

There was world of significance in
the following sentence i'm the memorial
laid by the State Prohibition. EXecu-
tive Committee before the Constitu-
tional Convention of Mississippi:
ut IProhibitionl will confer on pub
lie mon the blessings of liberty by
taking from their necks the yoke of
bondage. placed there by saloon bosses.
To be convinced of the saloons pow
er over the acts of our public men who
call themselves free and delight to
boast of their devotion to personal
liberty, one need only analyze the
votes on the "dramshops" bill in the
House of Representatives.
The issue on which the lines between
the Prohibition and saloon influence
was most sharply and clearly drawn.
was the amendment to cover all license
money into the State Treasury. instead
of dividing it between State, county
and municipality. The ayes and nays
were twice called ON this issue, and
each time there were A. for division.
while the vote against division stood
first 60. and the second time 81. There
are at present 81 counties i'll the State
where saloons are licensed. The vote
shows that of 1.-The solid IL, among
whom were the most conspicuous
champions of the saloon in the body,
all but II we're from the 81 counties
where the saloon influence is a recog-
nized political factor To be sure there
were some notable and worthy eXcep-
tions from license counties who assert
ed their manhood and independence
and ignored or defied the saloon intlu-
ence, but the exceptions only proved
the rule.
But the most conspicuous and nota-
BILE illustration of the power of the sa-
loon influence to deprive its subjects
of the blessings of liberty" and one
that has caused no little comment and
surprise, is that of Mr.. I. Dabney Mar
shall. one of the Representatives from
Warren, or more strictly speaking,
Vicksburg.
A few short years ago Mr.. Marshall
was known as a ProhibitioniSt of the
Prohibitionists "a Pharisee of the
Pharisees. after the most straightest
sect" He hurled his CALLING phillip
pies at the saloon and the saloon
keeper from every rostrum where he
spoke. and wrote with "a pen dip
ed in fire" When the Sword and
Shield, the State organ of the Prohibit
tiOnists. was first moved to Jackson.
Mr.. Marshall was its senior editor. A
few choice selections from his editorial
of that date are given be
low. and will prove decidedly inter
esting to those who have observed his
late attitude on this question, especial
ly to his fellow members of the House.
They are copied from the files of the
Sword and Shield of January, 1886:
Believing the Democracy to have
Deen the Moses that led us in 10 up
,ut of Egyptian bondage of Carpet
)agiSm and Radicalism, and to stand
ID. as the symbol of the rule of intelli
renee and honesty as opposed to that
If ignorance and corruption, it first
will claim this papers support. But
f, untrue to their trust, the men who,
the party's principles sell the
people into the slavery of the whisky
tie and rum-hoodlum, we will oppose
and harrass it as far as in us lies. Par
ties. we hold. only can claim mans al
Iegiance as long as they stand as the
best means of crystalizing into law and
practice, pure principles, but the mo-
ment they degenerate into mere ma
chine for putting into office horde of
hungry politicians whose hearts are as
destitute of principles as their fingers
are full of all itch for the contents of
the nations treasury-at that mo-
ment true men and citizens ought to
transfer their allegiance elsewhere, even
though it means the breaking the ties
and political affections of half a life
time. In this case the party becomes
a treacherous friend, and who would be
true to the heart that betrayed him?
The Prohibitionists of North Caro-
lima betrayed and deluded again and
again by the State Democratic party,
who kept promising, but always refus-
ed them the pitiful boon of local OPP
ton, have come out for a third party.
What happens in one State is some
times a good indication of what will
happen in another, if the conditions
are similar"