The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1902-12-24
pRoH1BIT1oN Us. LOCAL OPTION


The evil of strong drink is the
greatest curse Of the age; it has
b rought more men in sorrow to
the grave, blighted more promis-
ing lives, filled the heart with
gloom, and adumbrated with the
impenetrable clouds of despair
more happy homes, than all 9th
er causes and agencies combined.
Its mission is destruction, the me-
phitic odors of death, the atmos-
phere of its being-wails of woe,
devastation and desolation mark
its pathway, which an eternity
of anguish may be the ultimate
end of its victims. AS a thera-
peutic agent and for uses in chem
istry, alcohol is useful, but as
beverage it is an ummitigated
curse. | would that the world
could see it that way, and shun
the sparkling tempter. The call
for a Prohibition convention y
to be held in Jackson next Feb
ruary will not be wholly barren
of good results. The purpose of
that convention is an exalted
one. Splendid men and conse-
Grated women are at the head of
the movement. Their only hope
or ambition is to help their fellow
creatures.
The spirit which moves them
is the highest form of altruism.
| am in perfect sympathy with
the ultimate results which they
seek to obtain - temperance.
Some people deprecate the move
ment. | do not. | believe that
every speech made in the interest
of temperance and against the sa-
loon will bear good fruit. More
is due to discussion-pointing out
the pc rnicious effects-of alcoholic
liquors upon the human system,
for the temperate habits of our
people, than to Prohibition in
the various counties. The truth
is, Prohibition-the closing of
the saloon-is worth very little
unless there is potential moral
sentiment to back up the law.
1t is for that reason that l al
ways favored local option. When
the people of a county drive out
the saloon, the same forces usually
see to it that the "blind tiger is
looked after. There is one thing
certain, unless the people of the
county favor Prohibition the law
is a dead letter. Officers will be
elected who will connive at it's
violation, and it will become by
word and a reproach. Under
our system, all of the just powers
of government are derived from
consent of the governed, and we
approach nearest the ideal when
we leave with the people, to the
largest degree, the management of
their own local affairs. And es-
pecially is that true when you
must depend upon the various
counties for the enforcement of
the law. The legislature can pro-
hibit the licensing of the saloons
in all of the counties of the State,
but it cannot force the people of
the counties to uphold those laws.
The liquor question is a serious
one-it has received the most care
full and prayerful attention of good
people of every civilized country
on earth, and | do not believe
that Mississippi's plan has been
improved upon. Our laws are
good enough if we could only en-
force them. There might be
some improvements made-I am
in favor of any measure which
will promote temperance. For
eighteen years | have been fight
ing the liquor devil, and | never
expect to let an opportunity pass
to strike for temperance. This
county (Lefore) when | came to
it eighteen years ago, had a sa-
loon on nearly every plantation,
and the little town Of Greenwood
of three hundred people, had nine
teen saloons. A few of us got to
gether and began the fight, and
today Lefore is freer from whis-
ky than any county in Mississip-
pi, Notwithstanding our enormous
negro. population, who, by the
way, have not been permitted to
vote either way on this question.
At the last election more dry
votes were polled in the city Of
Greenwood, than there were wet
votes in the entire county. 1t is
the work of the people of the
county, and they will see to it
that the law is upheld, and their
work is not in vain. | repeat,
our laws are good enough, if the
people will only enforce them
Jas. K. Vardaman, in The Com
monwealth.
CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS.