The commonwealth., 1902-02-27
THE NORTH CAROLINA ANTI.
SALOON MOVEMENT.

dST!S!nS tN@A=h-SS :t+i aotiiaHlhS tSe
-saloon. 4 provisional organization
was effected, platform and consttu
tion adopted, plans were laid for an
aggressive and relentless fight against
! the saloon, aud arrangements made TO:
the calling OF great representative
convention, which viii be the final au-
t.lo1ity on ell questions in connection
with the prosecution of the work to its
consummation, namely, wlping out OF
The saloon in North Carolina. The
North Carolina Liquor Dealers Asso-
citation is hereby warned that it will
be opposed by an organization, The
North Carolina Antl-Saloon League.
Iii this particular the children Of hight
will emulate in their generation the
wisdom Of the other kind.
Times have changed since the over
u heirning deEeat oi the last general an
! ti-saiooa movement in this State score
of years ago. The cause defeated il
the State, through the wisdom OF its
friends and the unscrupulousness Of
its foes, has yet gone steadily forward
| il local contests il our towns and
counties, until the saloon has been ban
North Carolina. In many other coun-
ties the saloon exists only IL one incor-
pora ed town. And now with the in
arguration OF this second movement.
wisdom and not tanaticisn has taken
the reins, and while the unscrupulous-
ness OF g bad business may be expect
al to the iull, a large part OF the vote
that whiskey invariably controlled by
| natural sympathy and inward assiml!-
alton, has been eliminated. The bet
ter class OF negro voters can no longer
be depended cu by the saloon. And
the continued education CT the white
people, their progress IN culture and
Christianity, has already. as we firmly
believe, turned the minority into a
majority, 2 majority not only in num-
6ers but oF brains and character, that
h..s alwas had lis way, and in this IN
stance and for this cause is only walt
ing leadership to organize sn organl-
z2tion to conquer. We call special at
;eation to the platform and principles
adopted. The foundation principle is
hat tie saloon is the worst possible So
luton OF liquor problem, Is in fact no
solution, is the abIect surrender OF the
tlS;1t tor temperance to the devil and
The dayll's own, present and prospec-
tive. There has never been in the
history q the world such a combina-
tlol OF deadly influences as go to make
up the Twentieth Century saloon.
There does not exist any where else ia
the world to-day such an array Of for
bidden and abhorrent forces as find
free play in the American saloon.
5e'f-lnt8rest, the passion for money
making, the business energy that is
characteristic OF Americans, devoted to
attracting and holding customers, ths
social instinct, the notorious alliance
between the saloon and the brothel and
the gambling den, are all combined
for ;bc RI axviI IiaJ, 4ooi- of oval
that need restraining rather than en-
o0i:raglng: and which once walked ara
desperate il their graphing power over
The victim. II there was anything,
once upon tine, to the terrific
tempting power Of the saloon, 1t has
been long ago discovered aud adopted.
Is a completed and perfected ins:ltu-
ton, adapted with absolute precision
10 lis task, the saloon is work of gen
Ills and art. We challenge any answer
TO the proposition that the saloon can
not be improved upon as an engine for
creating and perpetuating the drink
habit, aud stimulating all the lower
passions. It is perfect drunkard fac
tory, with harlotry and gambling an
nexes. Moreover, through the natural
law OF self-preseryation, through its
conspicuous place in the business
world, through the social instinct en-
courag1ng association in common
cause, through the too-frequant de-
gradatlon CT politics, the saloon is the
standing menace to good government,
III this land OF the free. And pol,ti-
clans openly commit themselves to
its protection and often commit their
party, when such an alliance with any
special interest OF honorable nature.
were it published to the world, would
damn the politician forever and smash
any party into smithereens.
II then, the saloon is the worst DOS
sible medium Of traffic which is rec
ognized by law as the fertile breeder
OF disorder and crime, it Is reasonable
to hope that a union can be affected of
ali who are opposed to the worst and
aud IN favor Of a better solution of a
confessediy difficult problem. And this
movement proposes to unite all these.
1t welcomes to its ranks not only the
Christian men of sil denominations.
but the decent, sober, moral men OF
each Immunity who are in favor Of