The leader., 1901-12-18
OUR FORMER FIELD EDITOR VS.
Its THE GOYERNOR.

At the last meeting Of the Fair River
Association b. L. Hobbs and myself
we're appointed by that body of Chris
tians to visit the Governor and request
him to recommend in his message to
the legislature, which is soon to con-
vene, the Importance of giving us a
State prohibitory law against the sale
of intoxicating liquors. Hobbs being
sick at the time appointed for us to go,
l had to go all the way in gang by
myself, but our good Governor heard
my request with great patience and
fortitude. He informed me that the
good people of East Mississippi we're
rolling in their petitions on him by
the gross, and expressed desire that
the people all over the State do like
wise. Now, let every man and woman
in the State, regardless of race or
color, who is friendly to the cause of
God and humanity, regardless of polit-
ical or religious creed, pile in their
petitions by the cart load and cause
the Governor to feel that he is the
chief executive of a great Christian
constituency, and that he would not
be true to his trust should he fail to
grant the request of the best people in
the State. The Governor intimated
that he might not mention the matter
in his message, proper, to the legisla-
ture, but might make it the subject of
special message at some time during
the sitting of that honorable body
Now, in case he fails to mention the
matter in his message, let the petitions
and letters continue to roll in upon
him until they lie house high upon
his table. True, the Governor is
busy man, and has thousand and one
things to engage his time and atten-
ton, but he is never too busy to lie nd
listening ear to the appeals of the peo
pie relative to their wants and wishes.
Let every preacher in the State, dur
ing the sitting of the legislature,
present petition before his audience
and have them sign it and send them
in as iron sparkling red hot from the
furnace, and if any brother fail to sign
it, let him make the same request of
his preacher that Simon Magus of old
m de to his preacher in Acts 8:21-24-
pray We to the Lord for me, that none
of these things ye have spoken come
upon me-" This little talk Peter had
with Simon set him to thinking. Simon
was moneyed man and prominent
member, but when the preacher, who
was true to his trust, laid the matter
straight to the shoulder, he began to
feel the need of prayer, and he didn't
mind saying so. Every church mem
Der whose breath is befouled with the
fire of hell, and whose influence is on
the side of that soul damning curse,
red liquor, would do we'll to ponder
Peters language to Simon: 81 perceive
that thou art in the gall of bitterness"
etc. Let every editor friendly to the
cause of humanity, land thank God
their name is Legion mention the
matter in his paper, expressing the
wishes of his readers and let these edi-
torials be clipped and sent to the Gov
ernor until they lie knee-deep ON the
floor of his office. | am glad that
President Roosevelt, in his able mes
sage to Congress, struck at the old
serpent even if he did hit him on the
tail, and go to the Philippine Islands
to do it, when he said: an dealing
with the aboriginal races, few things
are more important than to preserve
them from the terrible physical and
moral degradation resulting from the
liquor traffic" The moral and physi
cal degradation resulting from the
liquor traffic in the Philippine Islands
is "terrible" indeed, in the eyes of our
President. He has wonderful caDac-
ity for seeing things afar off. "The
terrible physical and moral degrade
ton resulting from the liquor traffic"
were things unknown in that far away
country previous to the booming of
Dewey's cannon in Manila Bay. Does
the unfurling of the stars aud stripes
over country signify physical and
moral degradation resulting from the
liquor traffic." If so, it will be a bless
ing to the world when she is folded up
and laid away forever. God help the
good people of Mississippi to bury
this curse face foremost and turn the
key of its tomb over to the Sadducees,
who believe not in resurrection.
j. A. SCARBOROUGH.