Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-07-02
MISSISSIPPI TUESDAY, JULY 2 1885,

suherfng OF humanity until hundreds Of
thousands have signed them, and then
presented them 70 the congress OF the
United States, and the Internal red
nosed devils, brought mp and dominated
by whisky, threw them down on the
floor and spit their tobacco j,icc all
over them. In these hard times the
statistician shows to the politician that
we are spending more for this harmful
beverage than we spend for bread or
shoes or schooling. and yet In the face
OF the starving, ignorant, ragged masses
Of the people, the politician, bought and
bossed by the liquor traffic, throws the
arms of this great country around this
internal traffic, protects and fosters 1t
by law and gives 1t the Endorsement Of
the great American government in its
hellish worl: Of dcbauchery and crime
When Hon. NJ. w. Howard, of Ala
bama, an eye witness to the debauclery
in congress In its last session when the
poor and distressed were looking SO
hopelessly to It for relief, tells of tho
real scenes that occurred, the politician
smiles and the poor, deluded people
give no heed. When he tells us Of the
conduct of that Internal red.nosed gang
In the great capital Of our country on
the holy Sabbath day, In the conclud.
ing hours of a congress that meant
more to this country than any congress
that has met In fifty years, It is enough
to make our blood run cold. He tells
US that on the Sabbath day "cham.
payne flowed like water, committee
rooms became temporary brotbels,
women of low repute swarmed the cor
ridors and sang songs in public restau
that Tom Murray, the disgusted caterer
of the house restaurant, complained
that he had seventy-five dozen glasses
out in the committee rooms; that ID
committee rooms poker games were
going on, the sideboards stocked with
the best liquors which could be bought
with the contingent fund; that the
house and senate bars were running in
full blast, with congressman carried
away by friends fighting drunk; that a
woman, with her daintily feet
elevated on the committee table and a
glass of champagne elevated In her
hand, was singing merry song, while
dozen members sat around and en-
ioyed the association of the real lady,"
Etc, etc.
When we look upon this dirty scene
and realize the fact that 1t Is real
picture in the capital OF this great
country, drawn by an eye witness, and
when we add to this picture the fact
that in the midst of this drunkenness
and debauchery the wholesale whisky
dealers stood around, as bosses of the
whole situation, II such picture does
not bring CONSERVATION to the masses
of the people in this great country, l
ask in the name of God whose guiding
hand led the first ship to American
shores, and who has kept this nation
amid the storms of other years, what is
to become of this country?
The democratic party with its mon.
sumptuary plank" has sold out to
liquor from snout to tail and the goods
have been delivered. The republican
party claims they are temperance
party, but they never lose chance to
gain a vote by concessions to breweries
and. distilleries. The democrats and
republicans at heart agree on tho
liquor question and then divide up on
all other questions, never to come to-
gether again until they meet where
whisky will be as scarce as water and
both will be bankrupt forever.
The democrats are now wondering
what ails them. l believe 1t Is their
nonsumptuory plank that has divided
them, defeated them, and ought, at
last, to damn them, and in saying this
l am not speaking of the principles OF
the democratic party, but the poli'
ticians who are running it. If this gov
ernment is by the people, and for the
people, and of the people, then let's
make it so, and let the people run the
country instead of politicians, brewers
and distillers. SAM P. JONES.