Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-01-09
PROHIBITION IN MISSISSIPPI.
Bishop Galloway Reviews the
Progress Of the Cause.
Past and Present Status of the
Movement Shown.
Praises the Present Law and Favors "a
Continuation of the Non-Parti-
san Policy.

Bishop Galloway in interview in New Orleans
Picayrrne OF Jan. 81
81 will take pleasure in giving
you and the readers OF the widely
circulated journal you represent
any information or opinions |
may have on the subject of tenn
perance and Prohibition in our
State. Especially am | gratified
at an opportunity to speak as to
the efficient operation of our pres
ent statute. Though regarded
simply as means to an end, l
believe our law one of the very
best in the United States. 1t is
based upon a correct principle, is
fair in its provisions, is well cal
culated to develope and keep alive
moral conviction ON the great
evils of the liquor traffic, and
sooner or later will lead to the
complete emancipation of the
State.
els there perceptible and per-
manent growth of interest and
conviction on the question, do you
think "
"Therc is no doubt of it. 1t
is genuine and gratifying. The
quiet and successful elections held
in Lefore and other counties, with
little or no public speaking or
other display, Indicate that the
calm, sober, unimpassioned senti-
ment of the people is in favor of
moral reform. These results
have not been achieved by extra
ordinary effort and high-pressure
methods, but by the persistent
and powerful influence of pro-
found conviction wrought in the
conscience and judgement of the
intelligent electorate. Every re-
ligious newspaper of every Chris
tian church in every home is a
regular and strong advocate of
Temperance and Prohibition. The
children feed upon such food eve
ry week, and the great doctrine
of eternal antagonism to the evil
grows with their growth and
Strengthens with their strength.
Line upon line and precept upon
preccpt are given with every is
sue of these papers. And so by
the Sunday Schools as well as in
other ways the agitation contin-
ues. We are determined that it
shall never cease. -
"The history of restrictive
legislation in Mississippi is the
best evidence of this intelligent
and solid growth of public senti
ment. 1t is not without credit to
the State, a fact most gratifying
to an ardent Mississippian like
myself. In the early days of her
territorial minority-as far back
as 1S03-Mississippi had re-
strictive statute. This, with
amendments, may be found in
Poindexter's Code of 1928. They
provided that only keepers of inns
and taverns should have license
to retail vinous, spurious and
other liquors, and that such APP
plicant had to be recommended
by at least six respectable free
holders of the town, village or
neighborhood, where such inn or
tavern was to be kept. If the
requisite number of freeholders
did not reside in the town, village
or neighborhood, then six respec-
table householders were sufficient.
This was repealed in 1889 by the
passage of the famous 'gdllon
law which was entitled 'An act
for the suppression of tipping
houses and to discourage and pre-
vent the odious vice of drunken
ness. This oecasioned much po-
litical contention and in 1912 was
repealed and substituted by an
other license law, with some addi
tional checks and safeguards. This
was substantially incorporated in
to the Revised Code of 1857, with
this important modification: The
applicant for license was requir
ed to present petition signed by
a majority of the legal voters of
a municipality or supervisor S
district where the liquors were to
be sold. The code of 1871 con
tanned the same law, with an
amendment requiring that the pc
tition should lie over for one
month for counter petitions, and
if majority of voters petitioned
against license it could not be
granted for twelve months. In
1880 another amendment was
adopted requiring the names of
the petitioners for license to be