Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-10-10
LETTER FROM LOUISIANA.
The Leader Esteemed i'm the Pelican
state.
GAYDEN. Ia. Oct. 3, 1893.


state.
GAYDEN. la. Oct. 3, 1893.
Thanks, Mr.. Editor, for sample cop
les of THE LEADER, with which ] am
well pleased; so much so that | hest
tate not in the least to subscribe for
the paper, Notwithstanding the search
ty of money with me at this time and
the hard times. which il seems to be
the purpose of THE LEADER. with the
assistance of the people, and that of
other such papers to gradually remove.
Yes, to remove at the ballot box the
great curse, the whisky traffic, and thus
prevent the millions of bushels of grain
annually, the bread of life; food for
man and beast, such as corn, wheat,
rice and barley, the blessings of heav-
en-, being converted into the great
curse, referred to, would certainly have
tendency to remove hard times. The
millions of women and children who
suffer more or less for food and cloth
ing, in consequence of the whisky traf
fic and who, in consequence of it, are
in thousands of instances, brutally
beaten by drinking husbands and faith
ers, would certainly bring far better
times than they now have. Oppres-
sion, in the way of taxation would soon
cease. could the whisky traffic be sup
| pressed Indeed, earth itself would
become a paradise, compared to what
| it now is could the great curse just
mentioned be removed. 1t causes sore
distress to millions of helpless women
and children: causing many widows
and orphans and restitution to them.
1t causes vast am cunt of business in
the civil and criminal courts of the
| land, which are expensive to the gov
eminent and source of trouble and
vexation to farmers and other men of
business: who are compelled to leave
their homes and business to attend
such courts which are to be attended
regardless of the weather or distance
to them or condition of the roads lead
ing to them.
I really think, Mr.. Editor, that the
whisky traffic IL the worst of all evils;
being productive of many other evils.
1t is productive of drunkards, murder
ers, robbers, liars, thieves, cutthroats,
bad debtors and every other detestable
being imaginable. In thousands of
instances, it has caused innocent wo-
men to be brutally murdered; in many
instances by their own husbands. In
deed, may we not truly state, Mr.. Edi-
tor, that the whisky traffic is product
i've of monsters in the human family,
monsters of such nature that com
pared to the lion or tiger the latter are
comparatively harmless. There Is in
deed but little human blood caused to
| flow from such monsters as exist in
nature compared to the quantity that
is caused to flow from such monsters
as are raised from the cradle in gov
ernments tOlerating the whisky traffic.
Permit me- Mr.. Editor, to give here
one or two instances. at least of human
beings falling an immediate victim to
such monsters as just mentioned. The
first | will mention is an instance in
which young lady, supposed to be
about 20, was found lying on the road
side, mangled corpse; her face horri-
bly, bruised and her throat, as stated,
cut from ear to ear; signs discovered
indicating that scuffie had taken
place, and also Il whisky bottle which
contained little of the article. The
second instance is one in which a young
lady was most brutally murdered by
| her drinking young husband in only a
| couple of months after marriage. Her
parents wishing her never TO marry IA
drinking character opposed the match;
but she ran away and married him.
But treating her most brutally. when
drinking, she left him and returned to
her parents. Meeting with her in a
few days after leaving him, and being
drunk, he attacked her with knife;
stabbing and mangling her body in
such manner that she died in few
minutes.
Such we say are the monsters raised
from the cradle in governments toler-
ating the whisky traffic. Go on there
fore, Mr. Editor, in opposition to the
devil and his many agents and endeav-
or to use your influence to remove
from the land the great curse alluded
ed to. |. S. WILLIAMS.
P. Sind enclosed 500 for The
LEADER, The Voice and The Citizen, in
accordance with your clubbing propo-
sition. If you see proper you may
publish this letter. l. S. w.