Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-04-10
purposely ambiguous planks of a dis

10y which ne says BfOnloitlOn may De
attained, Dr. Black falls into the error,
/ i'm the first place, of confounding a
method" with the thing actually sought
to be attained, and in the second place
he does not seem to understand what
is really comprehended in the term,
National Prohibition, and what is aim
ed at by the Prohibition party, as we
will demonstrate further along.
There is about the same difference
between local option, which DIR. Black
classes as one method" for obtaining
Prohibition, and statutory and consti-
tutional Prohibition, which he classes
as second method" that there is be-
tween the shadow and the substance;
about the same difference that there is
between the "Choose We this day whom
We will serve" of Elijah, on Mt. Car
mel. and the Thou shalt not" of Je-
hovah on Mt. Sinai. State Prohibition,
either by statutory enactment or by
constitutional amendment" is prohi-
! DlJlOu, anu SuOuli HUI Dc uohohiiho0oNa
by discriminating writer as "a meth
cd" and placed in the same category
with local option, which is, at best, a
very questionable method"
1t would be no answer for DIR.
Black to say Statutory Prohibition
would not be Prohibition at all, unless
| e.. 4 hot tG nf ri
ministration and not of legal enact
ment; and if Prohibition officials are
essential to the enforcement of a pro
hibitory statute, then a Prohibition
party is needed to elect such officials,
whether it goes by that name or some
other.
The General Conference was both
wise and consistent with itself in not
endorsing local option. 1t says in the
resolution above quoted: "We offer no
compromise to, and seek no terms from,
sin of this heinous quality. We are
opposed to all forms of license of this
iniquity. whether the same be high or
low" etc.
The first step man takes who en-
dorses local option is to "seek terms
from and d compromise with the
friends of the liquor traffic, which the
Church says it will not do. One of the
prime conditions of a local option law
is, that if a man will present a ma Ori-
ty petition, pay a license and comply
with certain other conditions, he may
open dramshop; but the General
Conference of the Church to which
Dr. Black and other prominent local
optionists profess allegiance, says it is
"a Prohibition Church." opposed to
al forms of license" There can be no
mistaking this language, the Confer
ence did not design to juggle with
words, and we submit to the candid
reader if there is any other fair and
honest Interpretation of it.
Local option is shifting by legisla-
tors of their own duty and responsible
ity off upon the shoulders of their con-
stituents, and is simply "a cowardly
compromise" with license and Prohi-
bition in the alternative. Local option
means Prohibition in one village, town
ship or county, and license in the one
adjoining. According to Bishop Gallo
way and other authorities, Mississippi
has had local option in one form or an
other ever since she was territory,
but she hasn't Prohibition yet, except
in sections. In the very county in
which Bishop Galloway resides, and in
which is situated the State Methodist
and Baptist Colleges of Mississippi for
young men, licensed dramshops are
plying their deadly work, under a Ii
cense law to which both Bishop Gallo
way and DR.. Black gave their hearty ap-
proval before it passed the Legislature,
in preference to urging Statutory Pro
hibition,-and that right in the face OF
Conference of their Church. If, on
the other hand, there had been nc
compromise" and instead there had
been State Prohibition Statute, there
would not be licensed dramshop any
where in the State, and Mississippi
would have Prohibition and be in per.
feet line with the position taken by
the General Conference of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church South.
And now to show that the General
Conference itself recognized and dep
recated the very things that are so dep
recated by the certain circles" rallied
at by DR.. Black, we quote from the 3rd
section of the Temperance Report OF
the General Conference:
beyond doubt" it says, ''if all the
church members would only do then
duty, we could carry our STATE fol
Prohibition every time. Oh, that oul
people would realize that the measure
of their responsibility is not merely
the good or evil accomplished or pre-
vented by them, but the good they
might do and the evil they might pre-
vent if all their powers were consecrat
ed to the service of Christi"
We come next to consider DR.. Blacks
criticism on the Prohibition Party. He
says:
| NJ, 4bo National Prohibition Party