The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-28

The saloon keepers were not to blame,
but the legislators who permitted the
traffic ought to be vigorously pursued.
He said he regretted for Senators TO
admit that the finances Of the State had
run so low that the State had TO license
the retailing Of the blood OF its sons.
He thought if the General Assembly
were to license horse stealing there
were men who would be in the business
within twenty-four hours, because the
law allowed it. He related some dis
tress,ng scenes that had come under his
observation. which were due to drink.
He did not think the State could afford
to RIM any of It's institutions with the
blood money of its children. He said
no was nroud az a North Carolina Sen
ator to vote for the bill He said Chris
tianty could not legislate, but it could
suggest legislation. That 1t had been
charged that the preachers Of the State
had voted the Democratic ticket, and
added that If they did, they voted tor a
party that had a rum plank in its plat
form.
Senator Ammons, Of Madison, spoke
in support Of the bill. He sad 1t had
long been an issue, and he would vote
ALWAYS for temperance. He cOntended
that the charge that the bill would not
lessen drunkenness was as fallaclous as
to say that penalties did not lessen
crime.
Senator Slgmon, Of Catawba, said be
opposed the bill for numerous reasons,
but first because it was not needed or
necessary. He said liquor never gets
out of its place unless somebody put 1t
out, He thought no sensible man
would attempt to give a BOND that
5 would be forfeited if some fellow drank
| too much and got drunk.
] Senator White, of Alexander, stated
| that he and Senator Sigmon were the
| same age to a day were elected on the
2 same ticket and entertained many view:
]. in common, but they differed on thl:
! point. He thought the bill a necessary
, eafc-,.ara and he favored its passage
lie said he would rather be the mos
degraded drunkard that staggered up t
: judgment on the Resurrection Morr
than to be the man who sold hin
: liquor.
Senator Norris, of Wake, said on th'
canvass it was known that his party die
not appeal or lander to the prejudice
Y and appetites of men; that his part,
conducted its canvass on higher plane
! He sad he was sent here to enact finan
d cial legislation, but that Ta- not all
I He felt that it was his aa torepresen
every interest of the whole people, an'
7 the matter Of temperance was near am
) dear to the State He said the bill ha
! been carefully drawn and thorough
scrutinized by those who knew Wha
q they were doing and he regarded it a
/ almost perfect bill at is one of til
r proudest moments of my hfe," he sale
t. when l can cast my vote against tb
n traffic that Ia curslng the land
II Senator Fortune Of Cleveland sal
Z he ALWAYS took a stand on one side Q
: the other Of every question. II
e thought this question had two side:
= and he took the ground that prohlb
) ton does not prohibit He stated tina
= high license prevailed in Shelby an
70 he was informed by the mayor tina
there was not as much crime as whe
re absolute prohibition prevailed. II
r had voted for license and he was nc
Is ashamed of it. But while he had don
e 80, he had never touched a drop c
o whiskey in one Of the bar-rOOms. II
o said the prohibition party was minor
Y. lty party, and if the co-operationist
of here now wanted to stay at home tw
re years hence they could not make an
II better arrangement to do so than t
! vote for this bill He said the bi
II would bankrupt the State by cuttin
g off revenue and cripple the publ
d schools. He thought it bad plan t
le leglsate into law anything which tn
II people had SO overwhelmingly repudii
/ ted at the polls few years ago TIL