Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-15
sehooI Boys Are Interested In Prohibit
tim


since Mr. Guerry's announcement as a
prohibition candidate for governor. my
school-hoy friends have concluded 10
make the subject lively one at the sum-
mer commandments as debaters usually
do al such times.
I have not the leisure TO answer their
many and various appeals for helps and
pointers for and against would need
a stenographer and typewriter 70 answer
many OF the letters receive. and have
neither. but all the same. I am always
glad 20 help my young friends OF both
sexes. when they apply 20 me Tor taets
IN such a time as the present Inc SUD-
Secf seems 10 be unfolding in general IN
terest and Importance.
While I have been a great believer In
Temperance for years. and in a very en-
phatic way have announced my opinion
on the necessity for the suppression OF
opsn drinking saloons. I am not IN TINS
place 70 champion or oppose any candi-
date for the governOrship In Georgia.
In the first place, / have not been solic-
tied 10 do so. and in the second place. !
have no intention OF doing so. This much
Il IS proper 10 explain in endeavoring 10
place the subject before the school boys
who are seeking light on the mooted ques-
ton. and who ask me 10 tell them the
strong points for debate.
There are three classes In this country
who have pronounced views on the sub
fect OF prohibition OF the sale OF intoxl-
-znts by legislation. One class demands
this prohibition by statute law. as meas
ure OF public safety. Another class con-
tends for the sale under legalized restric-
tons as a compromise A third demands
liberty TO sell as a right allowed 10 gen
eral trade and commerce. as IN otner
business pursuits. This latter plea Is the
personal liberty plea. namely. that any
nerson has the right 10 sell or drink liz
uors as a free man in a free country.
A law that forbids the sale Of liquors Is
called a sumptuary law. and all laws
which regulate what shall be eaten or
drank OF worn are called sumptuary laws
This personal liberty idea Is the one,
therefore. most exploited by anti-prohioi-
sionfsfs II is claimed that civil and re-
lizious liberty are what our torefatners
fought bled and died for In the reFoiu-
tionary struggle. and therefore any man
can sell what he pleases and drink what
fe uIeases in a republic. We are graVeiy
told that a store in which intoxicants are
snid has as many privileges as a store
that sells bacon or calico In equity ana
Justice. and no man has the right 70 STOP
another nan from either selling. ouylns
Of drinking what pleases MS tas1e OF ap-
petite OF his pocketbook-
T-his covers the argument OF the sa-
Ioonlst as I understand the contenuoll-
TIE COMPROMISE argument may De
tersely stated in the following way. name
" since people viii use lntoAicaetils
ts-s,ors-for various reasOns-some TOT
stinulatinE effects in ~ health. others
because they claim the right 20 90 as
tnev rIease IN eating and drinking tand
an things else) and since many have such
4 thirst for intoxicants that II amounts
40 mania: therefore the proper plan 10
pursue. IL TO regulate the sale under COM
.promfse conditions. one OF these COM
promise conditions Is the closing OF bar
rooms when large crowds might oe eN-
cited BY drunkenness. such as electloh
DAYS and hanging days. etc The forbid
ding OF minors 10 drink In these saloons Is
another compromise condition.
The removal OF open drinking places
from school houses and churches 10 sta
ted distances therefrOm. as now compell-
ed By legislative enactments. is another.
Tfsueuearfes in lieu OF general barrooms
Is another compromise arrangement.
The COMPROMISE arrangements have been
very popular since the civil war, for the
ouen and uroniscuous sale Of intoxicants
became unpopular nearly half century
ago / remember well the first guberna-
toriai candidate for prohibition in Geor-
gfa but / was much younger than 1 am
now Rev. Basil H overly made the
race in the hfties and received about
5000 votes only. And yet the nomination
was made in ( tempest OF applause and
everybody said. Yes. the churches will
elect him" II looked that way. but the
churches had too many weakened pat
riots al that election. and I have never
banked very heavily on the churches as
unit on any political question. When
know nOthinEism" came along the
Catholic church gave il fits and never
touched Il with a vote. When the Baptist
convention in Valdosta last year pledged
itself 10 q solid prohibition vote, said 20
myself "rll wait and see" and II is gen.
orally understood even this early in the
campaign that the Baptist preachers viii
vote as usual-fOr whom they please
and the Valdosta pledges were simply
rope Of saud-that could do nothing-and
amounted 10 nothing except as a feeler.
I never was silly enough TO think that
such political pledges would hold a pro-
testant membership. and II is right and
proper that Il should not. because the
hope Of this republic lies In the response
biiity Of the individual and not In the
control OF priest-craft over the votes OF
the masses.
Dlspensaries have succeeded open bar
rooms all over South Carolina, and there
are many in Georgia also.
The compromisers have been the sue
cessfuI politicians up 10 date. but as I be-
Iieve the change from general and promis-
cucous drinking places 10 sale under the
before mentioned compromise restrictions
was long step forward. 50 do L believe
that these compromise arrangements will.
II the course OF the next nan a century,
give way TO rigid and incorporating
laws forbidding the sale OF intOxicants as
q public nuisance and as a measure Of
public safety.
Lastly. I come TO the contention OF the
prohibitiOnists proper. namely. that the
laws OF the land must be uniform. and
look always 10 preventing injury TO ones
neiEhbor. There Is really no personal lib
erty at this time. except in the sale OF in
toxicants- All other poisons are sold un-
der restrictions. the most Of them with a
death's-head label on box or bottle. ! saw
man die once who drank an overdose Of
whisky. II viii kiln like strychnine IN over
doses. A pistol Is considered essential in
many homes. but the law does not allow
you 10 carry a pistol about your person.
concealed in your pocket or anywhere
that any hystander may not see or warn
others against you. A pistol under a flap
Of your coat Is considered a public nuis-
ance. and YOU viii be fined heavily for Il
and sent 10 the rock pile IL you fail 70
raise the fine money.
You have not injured anybody. and may
be you were afraid Of mad dogs. or two
footed brutes. but the law says your
ueighbor does not like that pistol and you
shah not carry IL.
The Law does not allow you 10 speak
ugly words in the hearing OF womenkind.
] heard Of a man who had 70 pay $40 be-