Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-01-16
sOOKHAVEN, MISSISSIPPI TUESDAY, JANUARY 49, 1894.


amounting to a revolution. His temper
ance apostolate was begun at the sug-
gestion of Quaker. Into it he flung
the energies and sympathies of his
whole being, with no ambition but the
redemption of the fallen, and no hope
of reward but their benedictions.
Through his labors thousands were
reclaimed from besotted habits. Des-
olate homes and hearts we're made to
blossom as the rose. Crime decreased
everywhere until jail-keepers were al
most without an occupation. In the
course of five months, in the city of
of Cork, he administered the pledge
to 10000 persons. In Limerick thous-
ands flocked to him even 'from the
furthest parts of Connaught." At
Galway 100000 signed the pledge in
two days. In recognition of his refor-
matory labors Queen Victoria gave
him an annuity of f30O. To more ac-
curately estimate the strength and
popular influence of his reformation
note the following facts and figures ::
Criminal offenses of all kinds in 1887
amounted to tuelUe thousand and nine
ty-sir; in 1888 one thousand, and nine
ty-seUen, while in 1910 there were on
ly one hundred and seuenty-tLree. The
Father Mathew movement began in
1888. During these three years the
consumption of spirits fell from l.,
100000 gallons to 5.290,000, and the eX-
else on brandy decreased some f7I50,-
600. The number of prisoners confined
in the Bridewell and Dublin Jail in
one year fell from 136 to %, and Ice
cells stood empty. The Smithfield
prison closed its doors.
What grand and gratifying achiev-
ment! But just there was Father
Mathews fatal mistake. When he
; held nation in his hand, he let the
supreme moment pass unimproved
and Ireland again lapsed into whisky
and crime. Just then q pr0hi6HOr5
ldU ShOud hare been passed, uhicI
,rouM hare perpetuated tie refOrma
ton and seated for all time the redemp
ton Of the ldHd Of the Shamr0ch
Seeing the enthusiasm chilled and the
cause declining a cause inaugurated
and sustained by his personal magnet
ism and popularity Mathew
acknowledged his mistake and bitterly
recognized the necessity of prohibito-
ry legislation. He said: 1.-The prin
ciple of prohibition seems to me to be
the only safe and certain remedy fol
the evils of intemperance. This opin
has been strengthened and confirmed
: by the hard labor of more than. twenty
years in the temperance cause
That is the mature Judgment of on,
l certainly authorized to speak, if MAJ
= ever was, by career of unparalleled
| achievement. THE CONVICTIONS AM
: ENTHUSIASM OF A PEOPLE MUST BE CRYS
Tailed IN STATUTORY AND CONSTITU
i, TIONAL LAW TO MAKE THEM PERMANENT
But for its wonderful checks and re
strictions- ns-formulated by the preset
ence of a marvellous craftsmanship
: national constitution would have beeI
| torn to shreds long ago. IrelanC
could not and did not long endure th'
4 strain of that enthusiasm. But if re
, pressive legislation had have imme
: diately followed, that land, so',sorel.
I scourged with drunkenness, would
have rejoiced in blessed deliverance
, We hope, therefore, that in al
j., States and communities where
:, reform is agitatcd, the lesson OF
not be unheeded and unimprOy'
, ed. When the people are arOus
ed, let them petition for lega
{ protection. Let public Senti
: ment once be expressed in CON
: STITUTIONAL LAW, with it.
( provisions faithfully enforced
a one year, and no people will ever
- return to license or free liquor.
6 Editorial by Bishop Galloway IN N. o
Christian Advocate, NOv. Is, 1888.
''THE CONVICTIONS AND ENTHU-
!. SIASM OF A PEOPLE MUST BE CRYS-
TALIZED INTO STATUTORY AMI
p, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW TO MAKE
THEM PERMANENT, said Editor
, Galloway in 1888, and he was
prominently right. A thousand
pities, and thousands of rumcurs-
ed hearts sob in sorrow, that DR..
Galloway did not apply his own
remedy, when the way was open
to put Prohibition in our new
Constitution, framed in 1890, in
stead of persuing the obstructive
tactics he did. Then when the
Legislature met in 1892, and the
body was believed to be favora-
BILE to the enactment of State
Prohibition Statute, the Doctor
again repudiated his own doctrine
and, without authority from his
CO. committeeman, absolutely and
arbitrarily committed the Prohi-
bitionists of the State to "local
option. {" This, too, when Prohi-
bitionists wanted and expected,
Al I 4 D,,.t =, StafA