Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-05-16
VOTING RIGHT.
Open Letter to n Deacon In n CIarksVille.
Tenn, Church From "Crank" Drother
Member

just as competent to arrive at an opinion
for himself. But no harm is done by
reading what another may write, if at
the same time you test it by your own
judgment Now, from the very nature
of things, know that you will not
blindly accept my conclusions All /
ask is that you give them an unpreju-
diced hearing; if, after that you are of
the same opinion, you have the salts
faction of knowing that you have list
ened to the other side and have found
that you have stronger reasons for be-
lieving as you do than for changing
If, however, you should change your
views politically, it would be after due
consideration, and you would then be
glad that you had been brought to see
the temperance question in a different
light. In other words, listening to both
sides of a question never did do sensi-
BILE, fair-minded man any harm
At the request of friend, who does
you the honor to believe you fair-mind-
ed enough to frankly admit an error If
convinced, please read at your leisure
and carefully (may 1 say prayerfully?)
answer each question propounded:
l. Are we not responsible for the
moral influence of our votes?
2. Is the political situation the same
as when there was no prohibition ticket
in the field? In other words, can we
truthfully say now, as once we could,
that prohibition is not political ques-
ton? Does not the opportunity to
vote against saloons carry with it the
responsibility for not doing SO?
3. Can we hope for the suppression
lin whole or partially of the saloon
nuisance by either of the old parties?
t. Would not an officer of the law,
elected on a prohibition platform, be
more apt to try to enforce local eptiCn
or other prohibitory law than a man
who can control the liquor vote in his
party?
.. Does not the liquor vote WELD a
large influence in public affairs through
and by means of party organization?
o. Do you think that the liquor men
are as loyal to their respective parties
as TO their business?
Z. Would they or not leave their
party organizations if the issue were
raised by the old parties?
s. Can the old parties afford TO raise
said issue?
g. Does the saloon or does it not
hold the balance of power in each old
party?
10. Are party methods as pure as if
the saloon were out?
II. Do you know that the liquor men
of this country are banded together (ir-
respective of party organization) for
political purpose?
10. Is not the liquor curse of sufficient
magnitude to entitle it to public con-
sidcration? Is the tariff or any other
question so vital to the well being of
society as the saloon question?
IS. Are saloons or are they not the
creatures of license?
IA. Is it or is it not, the policy of the
old parties to license the saloon?
IS. If it is, am l not responsible in
some measure for the effects of such
licensing, if l support these parties by
my ballot?
16. Are you willing to assume the re-
sponsibility of licensing the saloon?
II Is it exactly fair to call me a
crank because l am unwilling to sup
port a party that will license a sa-
loon?
IS. Is a man cranky in following the
dictates of his conscience? Can an hon
est man do otherwise?
10. Did you ever pray God to enlight-
en- your understanding, and bless your
party ballot?
20. Is it not a matter of sufficient
concern to pray over? If / confess to
you that / have prayed over mine, is
not my opinion worthy of more consid-
Grafton than if have not?
81. Don't the question of revenue"
stand in the way when you recognize a
right and wrong side to the issue?
%. If so are you willing to believe
upon competent evidence that the rev.
enue derived falls short of the govern
mental expense incurred by reason of
the saloon?
%. When a man smothers MS convic-
tions of right and wrong, and allows a
money consideration to decide his ac-
ton, does he or does he not become
"particeps criminis?"
Now, Mr. Ely, after you have read
these questions, ask the God you wor-
ship to help you answer them in your
own mind; for to God and not to each
other must we all answer at last
Indulge me, please, while give you
the definition of a crank" He is a
man who differs from you in opinion,
and has not policy enough to keep that
difference to himself. Now analyze
your own feeling when you call a
man a crank and see il that is not So
Davis TURNKEY.