Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-06-04
vALEDICToRY.

At meeting of the Board of Direc-
tors of The LEADER Company on the
9th ult., it was deemed expedient for
the greater success and usefulness of
the paper to divide the responsibilities
and labors of the editorial and bust
ness management between two per-
sons. In pursuance of this decision,
Rev. John w. Chambers, President of
whitworth College. was unanimously
chosen editor, and the undersigned
business manager. This action and the
end sought, it is needless to say, meet
my hearty concurrence and approval
In retiring from the editorship ! will
be pardoned few words personal and
retrospective. When l began the pub
LEGATION of The LEADER over II years
ago, it was the only secular paper in
Mississippi, save two, which dared raise
its voice against the strongly entrench-
ed and then regnant liquor power.
Most of the time since it has been the
only one which has maintained per-
sistent, aggressive warfare against the
matchless evil, and never compromis-
ed with the opponents of Prohibition
for the advancement of any individual
or political party. My conception Of
the issue at the outset was that the Ii
quor traffic was the greatest enemy OF
the church of God, the State and the
home, and hence as Christian patriot
and honest and conscientious journal
list, could not do less than battle for
its destruction. My editorial creed
has been that the true journalist owes
duty to the public which he has no
right to ignore through fear, favor or
affection, and how faithfully l have
lived up to this creed, / am willing that
my weekly record of II years shall
answer.
When The LEADER took up the guage
of battle there was only one Mississip-
pi county of the whole "a, which did
not have its licensed dramshops, free
ly and openly patronized by all classes
of our people from the church elder,
steward and deacon down to the most
treacherous political demagogue and
ofice-seeker. Now there are less than
dozen counties in the State where a
dramshop can secure a license, with
the number constantly growing small
er, and no Christian gentleman or can
didate for public Office cares to have
it publicly known that he is a tippler
or friend of the saloon. Wonderful
revolution! Masterful vindication of
cause whose friends and champions
in the beginning met only sneers. jecrs,
taunts and epithets on every side
That The LEADER and it's retiring
editor bore some humble part in
achieving this great reform, along with
many other reforms of vital import
ance, is record of which I shall ever
feel proud and thankful, whatever the
future may have in store for me.
The great Prohibition reform has
now fairly entered upon its last and
final stage-the political or party
phase. The Prohibition party and
The LEADER, as champion of that
party, have safely passed the crucial
point, and the increased strength and
influence of both is henceforth assur-
ID. 1t is especially grateful to me in
aging down the editorship to give my
elf more fully to the business inter
'sts of the paper, that one will succeed
ne who is able to do so much more
han I, and who is in full sympathy
md accord with the principles and
General policy which the paper has
pursued.
And now, at the piping commence
nent season, with no personal i'll
will toward a soul in the universe,
md with gratitude to all who have pa
iently borne with his many imperfec-
ions, your valedictorian turn the
EDITORIAL pen over to the salutatorian,
Who, in this instance, will speak last.
B. r. HOBBS.