Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-06-12


to state why the proposed amendment
to the Constitution to prohibit the sale
of Intoxicating liquors in the state
never came to a vote. 1t was referred
to the Committee on Liquor Trafhc, o,
which Hon. T. II. Underwood OF Alcorn
was Chairman. He called meeting
of the Committee to consider the mat
ter but could not get quorum OF the
members together, and thereforec oulo
make no report upon it. l asked MIN
to make a report but he could not &c
so for the reasons above stated: ne
returned the resolution to the CLERK
desk during my absence, but forgot to
mention the matter to me until tues
dav of last week when it was too late
to pass it through the two houses sew
eral DAYS before adjournment as oy
the Constitution required. L regret
that we were unable to obtain vote
upon it. though as l told you and Mrs
Smell. / do not believe it would nave
received the necessary two-thlrds sote
any way. agree with you ladies II TO-
cal Prohibition is good thing otaIe
Prohibition is better.
The bill exempting from taxation the
property of the w. c. L. U. became a
law on last day of session.
Yours truly,
w. A. HENRY.
Our thanks are due DR.. G. A. leu
Nilsson. Senator from Lawrence, who,
against much opposition, worked to
get our lot in Jackson exempt from
taxation. Upon recommendation from
Gov. Stone this was done on the last
day of the session. The exemption
covers all property of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union in the
State. These are the only matters
which we had before the last Legisla-
ture, and as Superintendent of Legis-
lation l present this report.
The Legislature was conceded to be
Prohibition in sentiment and would
have voted to submit the amendment
if they had thought the temperance
people wanted this measure. A mem
Der said to me, 81 want you to know
that we are with you heart and soul
and if we do not give what you ask it
is because we think it is not best at
this time" And no wonder they thought
this! The great leaders of Prohibition,
Law and cleric, were silent or opposed
and only few women were asking for
this righteous legislation.
would not lightly estimate the good
our local option laws have accomplish
ed. 1t is perhaps the only way by
which, step by step, the traffic can be
crowded out. But if we believe that
dram drinking and dram-selling are
wrong we should not rest until we Sc
cure their Prohibition as murder and
theft are prohibited. Those who are
satisfied with Local Option argue that
the frequently occurring contest are
beneficial, because agitation helps the
cause. This is true, but we must re-
member that this agitation is at the
cost of much time, pecuniary loss and
frequently personal antagonism to
those who are working purely for phi
lanthropy. The good men in commu-
nifty may be willing once to lay aside
their own concerns to fight the battle
for God and Home, but it is not to be
expected that they will welcome the
conflict every two years, even II the
nresent favorable conditions should
last. The restriction of the suffrage
provided in the Constitution has work
ed we'll because adapted to the state OF
things then and even yet existing, but
time may change this. The biennial
report of the Superintendent OF Pub
lie Education gives the number OF chill
dren enrolled in the public schools OF
the State and shows majority for the
colored race. These will soon have &C
ouired the small amount OF learning
necessary to give them the ballot and
their history shows that as voters they
are corruptible, even in the North
where they have not been subjected to
the supposed demoralizing influences
of slavery. Then too, great efforts are
being made to bring immigrants from
Europe into Mississippi. 1t goes with
out saying that the mass of these are
friends of the saloon. i do not know
what we can do further but feel that
priceless opportunity that may never
be given again to the people OF Missis
sippi has drifted from us. God grant
that those who might have used theiI
influence for the right settlement OF
this question may not have cause te
bewail that they knew not in this theii
day the things that belong to theil
peace.
The last State Convention author
lied me to sell the lot in jackson be
longing to the State Womans Chris
titan Temperance Union If a fair pric'
could be obtained, and after SOM