The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-05
THE DEATH KNELL OF THE
WHISKY DEVIL IS BEING
SOUNDED.

There has been much talk and much
praise of the Virginia Legislature for
Passing the Mann bill, coupled with con
siderable criticism OF North Carolina for
lot passing az good a bill.
The Richmond News says it is esti-
mated that the Mann bill Will wipe out
at least $50 saloons in that city and
that the license tax will be increased
so per cent. The Mann bill allows no
liquor to be sold in any town Of less than
1000 population without the consent of
a majority of the registered voters and
| thus it IS that there are few to be ascer-
tanned by petition. Revocation OF the Ii
cense of any liquor dealer violating the
law is made compulsory. This law is
very much like the law in operation in
| Mississippi and like the fifth section Of
| the London bill that was before the North
Carolina Legislature.
PROFESSIONALLY the Virginia Legisla-
ture took a more advanced step with re-
gard to saloons than the Legislature of
North Carolina, but the Virginia Legisla-
ture took no step at all TO forbid the
Gemoralizing influence of distilleries in
the rural districts, an influence in many
cases much more ~debauching than many
saloons. Taken altogether, the North
Carolina legislation will drive out as
many places where Whiskey is sold or
given away to make drunkards as the
Virginia law, because North Carolina
the Watts bill. Absolute prohibition of
whiskey in the rural districts of tho
State is such a long and important step
as to make the North Carolina meas
not better than the Virginia legisla-
ton.
The Richmond Christian Advocate
warmly commends the Virginia General
says, that Judge Mann's victory illus
t1ates the fact that legislation is the re-
suit of compromise" If you cannot XIII,
cripple the enemy. From the very ex-
| tt11cub dllu N1Ille upon Ills SUD-
ject by DR.. Cafferty, of the Richmond
Christian Advocate, we make the follow
ing extract:
There has been a distinct revolution
| CARDS the suppression of the traffic III
alcoholic beverages. Half century ago
the lecturer was a set on a vacation,
whose speeches were strings of anecdotes,
mainly a mimicry of the poor drunkards,
And presently the report would get
| abroad that the crusader had tumbled
into the gutter again.
AFTER this era of sorry strategy began
the study of the effect of the poison on
the human anatomy. There was scientific
investigation. Information of high value
passed to the public. The tax on citi-
zens, the pull on their purses to pay for
the ruin wrought by liquor was made
plain. The cost Of criminals, paupers.
police, by reason of the work of the sa-
loon, came to mems attention and aroused
them.
The business of debauching sections
of society at the expense of the tax
payer began to find enemies. When the
account was ciphered up it was found
that, in the long run, it would be cheap
er to divide to the saloon men a good
slice of the taxes. if they would spend
their time fishing, sleeping, f~ox-hunting
instead of furnishing a pernicious fluid
to the public.
Men began to think. Thought melted
to action. The sterling element of So
ciety rated the traffic as a nuisance and
a curse. The use of the negro vote to
fasten this vile trade on a community,
made the blood boil in the veins of white
men. The ignorant and corrupt ballot
of the blacks gave victory to the cross
road dram-shop. The drunken African
mocking the decent and virtuOus white
citizens after a contest over the saloon
augmented the hatred towards the dens
of evil. Yet the blacks held the balance
of power in many counties. The white
man became the serf of the saloon and
it's sooty sots. The fanatics, who in hate
and fear of the South, set the muddy foot
of the rice-feld negro upon the neck
of culture, honor. Christianity, became
thereby the champions of this accursed
traffic, fastening it upon the States of the
South.
when Commonwealth after Common
wealth cut the roots of the saloon by
eliminating the ignorant black voter, the
doggery was doomed. The new Constitu
ton of Virginia sounds the knell of the
Whiskey devil. The saloon, hated for its
deeds of ruin, doubly detested for its
alliance with the abhorrent and r%epuls.v.
system of black ballOting. an insult t6
Southern society, will be driven as Cain
a murderer, from the presence of men
1t is a stencil and a pestilence. Let the
site of this den of ~iniquity be purged with
fire and own in salt"
LYNCHING--NORTH AND SOTTTH