The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-07-22

IN mass meeting assembled on
Feb. 18th, last, is enclosed for
fuller information as to what the
friends of this great reform advo-
cate and are seeking to accomplish.
An exact copy of this letter,
with the same enclosure, is being
mailed today to each one of your
honorable opponents.
By order Of the committee, as
sembled in Jackson, Miss, June
"a, 1903.
Yours very respectfully,
+. L. McCUE, Sec'y.
To this letter Mr.. Noel made
reply, under date of July 8, as
follows:
If a majority of the voters of
our State declare for Constitution
al Prohibition, through a vote
taken on the question, | would
submit to the legislature at its
short session, the question of stat
utory Prohibition for action in ac-
cordance with the amendment
adopted. If the legislature, dur
ing my incumbency as Governor,
if | should be elected, should pass
a statutory Prohibition bill, not
repugnant in any way to the Con
stitution, | would approve the
same, irrespective of my personal
views as to the proper method of
dealing with the liquor evil.''
Up to July IS no reply having
been received from the other two
candidates for Governor, a second
registered letter was mailed to
each of them with the request
that the committee be favored
with prompt answer, as the ear
ly issuance of an address to the
people of the State was contem-
plated, and it was the desire of
the committee to be able to define
their position.
We are still July 22) without
answer from either Major Varda-
man or Judge Critz, from which
it is inferred that they are either
unwilling to have their position
known to the people, or prefer to
make it public otherwise than
through this committee.
Since the first of June circu-
lar letters have been sent out to the
candidates for the legislature in
all of the counties, interrogating
them as to their willingness to
submit the desired amendment,
and, in the event of it's ratification
by the people, voting for law in
accordance Herewith.
Out of over two hundred an
swers received, less than a dozen
are doubtful or negative, and fav-
orable answers are still coming in
daily, which indicates that the leg
islature will be overwhelmingly
for submission and that there is a
strong, rising tide of Prohibition
sentiment throughout the State.
Viewing the encouraging out.
look for our cause as a whole,
we consider it only necessary in
conclusion to urge it's friends ev-
erywhere to be active and vigi-
liant from now until the campaign
closes and the first part of oul
fight will be won. The basic
principle of democracy is that the
people shall rule. Only the other
day the greatest of living Demo
cratic leaders said: "The dis
tinguishing features of any party
that deserves to be known as 8
democratic party, is its faith il
the people, its desire to advance
the welfare of the people, and its
willingness to have the people con
troll their own affairs"
The friends of Prohibition ev
erywhere should interrogate can
didates who are non-commital anc
demand of them that they locate
themselves on one side or the
other of the issue presented.
The man who is not willing fol
the people of the whole State tt
vote upon this question, or who
is not willing to carry out in gooo
faith their wishes after they have
been expressed at the ballot box,
is not worthy to be trusted by the
people, and is a Democrat only
in name.
W. T. LOWREY,
Chm. State Com.
F. L. McCUE, Sec'y.
(All State papers will please copy.)