Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-12-26
But One Remedy.

There is but one remedy for a great
public evil and that is Prohibition
Anything short of this is doomed to
failure. When building is on fire it
is dangerous to the surrounding prop
erty, and until the fire is suppressed
the firemen continue their labors.
There is no thought of regulation or
control, but of absolute, unconditional
suppression.
The liquor evil menaces our people
and their homes. 1t threatens their
liberties and seeks only their destruc-
ton. Instead of planning its extinc-
ton the American people have pre-
ferred to continue it, but with limita-
tions They believed that it could be
managed in such a way as to contribute
large sums of money to the support of
the government and yet be kept with
in bounds. They thought that money
was of more consequence than men and
women, that revenue was of more i'm
portance to the nation than sober,
industrious, home loving citizens. At
least that is a fair inference, judging
by the results which legitimately come
from the revenue and license systems.
The plan is stupendous failure, for
it has brought blight and ruin upon
the homes of the republic and sent
multitudes of citizens to dishonored
graves. Our jails and penitentiaries
filled with criminals, most of them
graduates of the licensed saloon, dem
onstrate the fact that the attempt to
control and regulate this mother of
crimes has been a colossal failure. The
hordes of tramps, the crowded poor
houses, the swarms of street waits, the
multitudes of wretched women and
worse than fatherless children, tell the
story of this great and shameful mi
guilty.
The liquor traffic cannot be con-
trolled 1t is high time to stop trifiing
with such a momentous question and
get down to business. The fire must
be extinguished Not an ember must
be left to give it new life and power.
1t is evil and only evil and must be
suppressed.
Are the American people willing to
undertake this task Then they must
abide the consequences. This nation
cannot continue long if the people are
cursed with rum. This republic is
such only in name if it is ruled by rum.
1t cannot live half drunk, half sober.
The liquor question is the question
of the twentieth century. Seven years
remain of the present century and
these few years should be given to
thorough preparation for the great
conflict before us. The army is re-
cruiting and those who enlist to fight
under its banner are heroes indeed,
whose courage is equal to the great re-
sponsibilities resting upon them. 1t
numbered nearly three hundred thou
sand in 1892. 1t ought to number mill
ions before the new century is ushered
in Whether this shall result depends
upon the men who know the import
ance of the issue but who have thus
far held back from voting and acting
with the Prohibition army. They can
hasten or retard the movement which
aims to free our land from the curse of
liquor. They can do great work for
God and humanity by laying aside pol
itical prejudice and joining heartily in
this nationwide effort to outlaw the
liquor traffic. They ought to do this,
and they accept great responsibility
if they refuse or delay.
'The man with a purpose
Is a man that will win;
But the greatest of failures
Is not to begin"
The Lever