The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-26
PRES. O'DONNELL
TOL|QUOR DEALERS
His Address to the State As
sociation Yesterday.
THE BUSINESS DEFENDED
Not the Use, But the Abuse of Intox;
cants Causes Trouble.
LAW BREAKERS NOT cGUNTERNANcI D
Ii is The Purpose OF the Organization 10 txposa
and Drive Them Out Of Every Com.
munity in Which They Garry
on Their Piracy.

vi fHSh
The State Liquor Dealers Association
convened yesterday morning over Den
tons saloon. There were about twenty
five present, representing local organiza-
lions. President Frank O'DonneH, of
Asheville. called the meeting to order
ard made the annual address, after
which. considerable business was trans
acted
Nr. Opnnell, after an appropriate in
PRODUCTION, said in part:
There is no doubt that all saloon men
form a class apart. But. equally, there
is no doubt that the members of this or
ganization also form class apart from
the rest of the saloon men of the State.
For we are organized for a purpose, and
that purpose is not alone mutual pro-
lection and self-interest, but it has also
always steadily in view the public good
and the interest of the communities in
which we severally live. I am sure that
those saloon keepers who do not aynI
pathise even if they do not belong TO-
this association, cannot have any thought
beyond their own selfish ends. The
public can do nothing to them or they
would be hand and hand with us and
heart to heart with in our desire not
cnly to give to the communities in
which we do business the benefit of our
examples in all good and charitable
works, and in the consideration and re-
gard we have for our homes and families,
but to set before the youth of our coun-
try a personal and practical demonstra-
ton of the fact that we are worthy of the
trust the county and municipal authori-
ties have reposed in us by entrusting
to cur hands the sale of intoxicants.
There is no man who has right &c
engage in our business in North Caro-
lima who has not been endorsed as to
character and conduct by the most wor
thy citizens of the communities in which
We respectively live This of itself is a
distintion and an honor, and we try to
prove ourselves worthy of the confidence
and trust reposed in us. That WORTH
ness is best shown by our observance of
the minutest law that has been enacted
FOR our government by the authorities of
our State and cities and towns and
counties. We may not always agree as
TO the necessity for or the justice of
some of those regulations; but notwith-
standing, we are the best living exam
pies of the best citizens in our State;
for never mind how exacting those laws
may be. there are fewer violations of
them by the members of this association
than there are any other law
by any other class of business men
in the State. The records of the courts
of the State bear me out in this asser-
iG a record Of which WI m aU
we'll feel proud.
"The object of these laws and regula-
tons is not to Cypress us as individuals,
but to so regulate the business in which
we are engaged as to render it harmless
to the general public For it is not the
use of intoxicants that causes trouble,
but the abuse of these beverages. And
it is and will always be the chief aim of
our association to assist the authorities
in preventing these abuses by every
means in our power.
THE man who sells to habitual drunk
ards, the man who sells to minors, the
man who sells to any one after having
been requested not to do so by the wife,
father or mother of such a person, is not
good citizen, and he has no countenance
i'm this organization. The man who
keeps his place open after the legal
hours for closing, the man who sells on
Sundays, or who sends out disreputable
and irresponsible agents to sell his goods
in back alleys and in dark places, can
not end admission into our ranks. We
have no place for him or any of his like
in our ranks<~To him be anathema and
maranatha. He does us and the saloon
business more real harm than all other
agencies combined. He is our enemy as
much as he is the public enemy And
TO him we owe many, if not all of the
harsher laws and regulations that have
been enacted and adopted for the con-
trol and government of our business
But for him we would not be looked
upon by many well meaning but i'll iu-
formed people as malefactcrs and evil
doors. BY him we are unjustly judged
And il is our purpose to expose and
drive him out of every community in
which he carries on his unholy and ne
farous piracy. For it is as much a pr
racy as if he were violating the laws
on the hieh seas, to assassissinate the
character of men who are trying TO live
Alright and do no man and no woman
any harm under Gods SUM-
My friends, ] am sincere when / say
this I know that my heart bleeds for
tho distress that drunkards bring upon
sthcir families | know that l would not
Nillingly bring to any wife, to any
mother a single heartache because of her
husband or son. j resent being classed
rs halcfactor and a violator of law |
deny that l am disregardful of the rights
and desires of the women and the child
rcn OF the land And if 7 thoI1~ht fba+
my business was the cause of drunken
ress and bankruptcy and personal dis
grace would turn from it as from
leprosy Yet, l know that there are
many OF the most worthy people in this
ana other States who believe this of our
business; and | know just who causes