The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-10
Temperance in the South.

one of the most remarkable reforms
now i'm progress in the southern States is
the lOcal-option movement. our STAFF cor
respondent refers TO il at the close Of his
letter on Life in the Southwest" pub
l.shed elsewhere, and the subject deserves
more attention than ii has received in
northern journals. In Georgia, Aabama,
Mississippi. Texas, Arkansas and other
cotton States. where there is a large
negro population, the suppression OF the
liquor traffic has been one Of the neces-
Sary consequences OF the race conflict.
The fact has been recognized that II was
liquor that converted bad negroes into
fends, and was responsible for the out
RACES which have inStigated lynching and
lawlesSnesS. The closing of saloons has
been essential 10 the security Of life and
the welfare of women and children in
districts where the whites were largely
out-numbered by the blacks. Local option
has furnished "A practical method of ac-
comprising this object with the least
possible resistance from public opinion.
For example, In Arkansas the sale of
liquor Is regulated Q by the majority
vote Of the citizens OF a county; % by
special enactments prohibiting the sale
of iutoXcfts within a radius of from
three to tn miles Of a church or a school
house, and CD by petition OF majority
Of the adults in a county or town, every
woman being permitted Il voice in0 he de-
cisiOn Of the matter. Through thVopera-
ton of these three laws the saloon has
"
ties of Arkansas. There is said to be
only one open saloon from Little Rock to
Van Buren,. on the border OF the State--a
distance of 10 miles. In twenty-five
counties the sale OF liquor Is absolutely
prohibited. and in the greater part of
every other county in the State the traffic
Is regulated In the same way. Local
option is carried out so as 10 enable the
neople OF a single ward OF a city or a
township OF a county 10 interdict by ma
jority vote the sale OF liquor. even II the
entire county cannot be carried against
the saloons.
The same system has been introduced
in other southern States with the most
beneficial results. although the women are
seldom allowed an equal voice in the de-
termination of the question. From Geor-
g!a 10 Texas local option is bringing
about temperance reform III practical
way; and wherever saloons are closed
the race question is solved, for Il is the
drink evil that lnstigates the worst negro
crimes and is Indirectly responsible for
the atrocious niger hunts and lynch
ing outrages Captain Tillman, in South
Carolina, has introduced another method
of dealing with the same question, but 1t
is less effective. In that State saloons
are closed, but hquor can be bought at the
State d.spensaries and consumed outside.
There is less intemperance IN South caro-
lima because the custom or treating is
broken up and the so-called sociabllity OF
the bar-room is at an end; but the dis
pensary law eXcites RESISTANCE every
where in the State, and IS violated de-
liberatey By thousands who consume
struggled liquor. Local option, wherever
IL is fairly tried in the South, Is more
satisfactory in its results than Captain
Tillmans preposterous dispensary sys-
tem.-New York Tribune.