Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-03-20
LIKED THE SAMPLE.
After Testing Prohibition One
Year Columbus Decided She
Would Try it TIVE More.
Interesting Facts and Figures
About How 1t Has Worked.
The Late Local Option n Walk
Over for the Pros.


Editor of The Mississippi Leader:
! A few particulars about our recent
local option election in Lowndes coun-
! ty and the result of years trial of
Prohibition in Columbus will doubt
less be of interest to your many read
ers We commenced in time, in earn
est and with determination to sue
coed. We went at it quietly, orderly
and Systematically and with the very
! best material in front In the city we
recognized our anti-dramshop club,
having only about 30 members, but all
true aud at all times ready to do what
ever work was assigned them. The En-
ecutive Committee of seven, with Capt.
ID. NJ. Richards, cool and level-headed
and with unsurpassed devotion for the
right, chairman, managed the cam
paign 50 skillfully and so successfully
as to challenge the admiration of the
enemy and many surrendered before
the day of battle.
SO far as known not mistake was
made. The registration rolls and tax
books were canvassed by a special com
mittee with the law before them. We
knew to a certainty how many quail
fed electors there were at each voting
precinct, and list of these were fur
nished to our challenger with the
names of those to be challenged con-
spicuously marked, and the Prohibi-
ton voters were so well instructed by
special committees that but very few
failed to mark out their tickets cor
rectly: while even here in the city sew
eral of the most prominent and Jealous
on the other side lost their votes by
failing to comply with the law in this
respect. We are very happy over the
result 1t is the prevailing opinion of
the people of the city and county that
we are rid of the curse and disgrace
for all time to come. However, we have
not disbanded; we are in perfect fight
ing trim and propose to remain so in
order that it may not be said of Co
lumbus and Lowndes county, Prohibi
ton does not prohibit. We have good
officers and there will be a good moral
force behind them. So should you hear
| it said that there are blind tigers in
Columbus and whisky is being sold in
violation of law, you may know that
that is the same old chestnut.
We have saved in actual cash during
the past year about 100000. We have
been watching very closely the ship
ments of liquors in our town and coun
ty for the year and giving that side of
the question high prices and the bene-
fit of all doubts the amount agreed up
on is $1,000 the figures given us as to
the amount sold annually under license
are from a shrewd saloon keeper,
who we hope has been soundly convert
ed, are 100000. So you see we save
the amount above named 10000
most of which has been spent for the
necessaries of life. This of course is
not all we have saved. We might add
to the 100000 the cost of courts, valua-
BILE time, hundreds Of dollars in the
improved condition of stock on the
farms. wagons and other vehicles here
tofore broken on the roads by drunken
drivers going out late from town, the
suffering and restitution of their wives
and children, the disgrace of the open
saloon, no drunkards manufactured,
no demand upon us for our boys to fill
the places of the $1,000 gone down from
the DEVILS college to the drunkard's
doom; but some who were on the way
have been arrested and restored to
their families. But time would fail
me to write you all of the curses ban
ished with the sale of liquor and the
blessings which came with Prohibition.
Why already there is a movement on
foot to amend our city charter in order
to reduce the salaries of our officers to
the proportion of the amount of labor
performed. Our policemen are idle
and our mayor is not busy on an
average of two hours per day for the
year. He says SO far as violations of
the law are concerned he had just as
we'll shut the Office. Our cotton re-
ceipts are increased and it is the testi-
mony of our merchants that trade has
been better than it has for the past
three years. Our city taxes have been
reduced and a deficit due when the
city went dry has been paid. And not
withstanding the failure of the Demo
cratic party TO keep its promises tothe
people and the hard times so univer-
sally complained of, Lowndes county
is in better condition financially, NOR
ally and religiously than she has been
for years. Columbus has more money
in her banks, l am informed, on depos-
it, than ever before. Our business and
dwelling houses are being filled up rap
idly. 1t is true that rents are low, but
low prices are ruling everywhere and