The sun., 1902-01-26
PROHIBITION IN MISSISSIPPI.
The Matter Before the Legislature
ties Won by Local Option.

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 25.-Mississippi has
been plunged into a prohibition campaign
by the action OF the Governor in laying
before the Legislature a proposition to
prohibit the sale OF liquor in the State.
At first Gov. Longino doubted the ad-
visibility OF doing so. but he is devout
Baptist, and when the Mississippi Baptist
Convention declared for prohibition he
surrendered.
Mississippi is now one Of the stron gest
prohibition States in the Union, and in
sixty-three Of its seventy-flve counties
the sale of liquor ia prohibited and the law
Is rigidly enforced. This is the result OF
the States local option law.
Under this law the voters OF any county
can demand an election TO decide for or
against the licensing of liquor saloons.
The campaigns over the issue have been
decidedly the most exciting and energet-
ically conducted Of any in Mississippi Of
late years, and the vote polled has usually
been heavier than in Presidential elections.
The women and preachers have gone into
the fight actively
In the local option campaign. which
has been going on for years, the temperance
people have steadily gained ground. A
county once captured for prohibition has
seldom gone back TO liquor licenses; and
thus the number OF dry counties has gradu-
ally increased.
There were AZ first good many blind
tigers or lawless saloons. but vigorous
prosecution by the local authorities and
the attitude Of the public have reduced
the number, from year TO year, until IL
became simply a question OF time when
they would be e1terIninated.
II might be expected that with the sue
MlEsIsSlDnl
temperance people would be satisfied.
They have, however. come to the conclu-
sion that they have gone as far with local
option as they can hope 70 go. The re.
calcitrant counties. those that have voted
wet Of recent years, cannot apparently
be moved.
A large majority Of the people Of Mis-
sissipp. say the temperance people, are
IN favor Of prohibition. This IL conclusvely
shown In the LIQUOR license elections Shall
the ma ajoTity of the voters who favor the
prohibition of the sale Of liquor be deficd
by this minorityY Shall not the majority
rule' ask the Temperance people.
II was with this view of the question
that the Moman's Christian Temperance
Union went before Gov. LonEino and in
duccd him to submit a Prohibition law 20
the Legislature Mrs. = De- kearney, the
President Of tho Womau's Christian lem
perauce Union, also addressed the Leglsla-
ture on the subject. and the applause given
70 ilf'I 2 flhffill rilbhH now rlf'Ak AAA' lAg-
AIbltlOn sentiment IL ln that body.
The temperance people and the religious
sentiment of the state are not unanimous
In support Of prohibition. The bapu-t
State Convention has on several occasions
declared for %, ana ISr'itipnrd the Governor
to recommend such legislation, but the
AethOdistr are tplt
The south All-sIssippi Methodist Con
ference declared Tor Prohibition, but the
North dlssi-sippi Conference l. against a.
Many ~ the trmp"raHor people thluk tho
movement uuwi-r, aud that " Lat has been
gained 10y local option may ls lusl ~ pro-
l4hiuun la "udeaNuf.uE To tnruo TEN
Isfaucr on counties whose people afe
opposed ~ a.
Tho north Mississippi Mrthodls,s suggost
az aIurndmrnt to thr IIrrrut liquor Laws
ui tho state, shutting nalIliS uui ~ an
tuNus ~ .a than ~ l.uablianin, wiI'u
would hOru-.' ully apuYI a dp1Hu 'vr'
towns boz thr stale, aud on lr pIa-,iIlo ilai
tive Dampruiulss may hf adopted.