Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-12

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sentiment must necessarily
keep to the front and occupy ground
constantly contested by the masses.
I have reached the years and the
place in life when man looks back
and compares. and am glad to say
that the cat is jumping my way.
am this week with my co-work-
er, George Stuart, conducting meet
ings in Wilkesboro, N. G. A great
tent has been provided with seating
capacity of 1000 or 5000, and the
State Of Wilkes" as 1t is called is
on hand. This county was few
years ago noted for 6istilling and
drinking. It was not an uncommon
thing, so am told, to find a preach
er distilling liquor all week and oc-
cupying the pulpit on Sunday with
his church officials and church
members also running still
houses" Today anti-saloon leagues
are organized over the county and
the saloon was voted out Of this
town by an overwhelming majority,
the preachers standing at the polls
exhorting their friends to vote right.
In this mountain country where a
few years ago a bottle of liquor and
a pistol were the sign of man
hood. better days have come and
the pistol and the bottle are rele-
gated to the "Prill Bellies" and the
better classes are looking with con-
tempt on such things. A few years
ago lad OF IL years was accosted
by a stranger in the familiar style
Hello, Bud!" The lad looked up
with scorn and said: Don't call me
Bud I've been cussin', chaw'n to-
hacker and drinking liquor five
years" But better ideas of man
hood are prevailing and not only is
this true in all our mountain dis
trIcts, but from the capital down to
the deepest cave Of the mountain
things are changing around.
The United States congress struck
a funny piece Of logic few days
ago. For years congress has been
passing laws prohibiting the sale OF
liquor among the Indians and our
ignorant and helpless population,
and then after voting the members
would walk down to the capitol sa-
looms and take a drink. A few days
ago after they had voted the saloon
Off of other government property
they walked up to the ridiculous fact
that they had voted the saloon off
Of about all the government prop
erty' except that that they them
selves occupied. When this ridicu-
lous fact dawned on them they pro-
ceeded to vote ii out of the capitol
by los to 10. Now carry your logic
one step further, gentlemen; let us
put it off OF every foot of land in
which Uncle Sam has an interest.
And 1 believe that time is coming.
On December IL, 1899, Senator Hoar.
OF Massachusetts,, arose on the floor
Of the United States senate ana
spoke as follows:
"I desire to give notice in this
connection that shall take an early
and convenient time to call the at
tention of the senate with some en-
phasis to the difference between the
mode of treatment in our legislation
Of the men who produce whiskey for
consumption as a beverage and the
men who use alcohol for the harm
less and beneficent processes of
manufacture or in the arts; and also
to the great difference in the behav-
Tor Of our legislators Of all parties
toward the manufacturers of beer
and of this class of citizens. Every
body seems to be afraid of the brew
H. - ha Of
Of the whisky distiller in our legisla-
ton 1 think probably 1t is about
time we should put a little more
Justice and a little more courage
into all our dealings with these SUBJ
jects."
Yes, gentlemen. the time has
about come. Let us have courage,
justice and consistency and the bat
tie will be short. The liquor crowd
are retreating but fighting every
foot of the way. They first fought
and ridiculed the temperance socie-
ties and crusaders. These institu-
tions and agitations gave birth to
local option, and they turned their
guns on local option, but now that
general prohibition is In sight the
saloon crowd are crying out "let
us have local option; this is dem
ocratic country, let each locality
decide for itself by ballot" Let us
not be deceived, fellow countrymen.
When 1 find the saloon men for one
thing 1 am for the other. They are
wide awake; they know what to
fight and what to favor and 1 fight
what they favor and favor what
they fight. The saloon is making en-
emies and prohibition is making
friends every year. When we con-
slider the enemies of the saloon it is
a marvel that II lives a year.
Preachers. philanthropists. reformers