The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-24
SPLENDID NEE TING
FOR DISPENSARY
Second 0pen-Air Speaking
Well Attended.
The TELLING ARGUMENTS
Registration viii Close on Saturday--S Statement
From Registrar Sco.i---he Will b.
Sent Copy Of The Con-
stitu' ion.

Inc SECOND OIL Cne open ali ulSpSuSaIy
meetings was held last night in the lot
west to the Melrose Knitting Mill, on
Dawson street, near Lane. 1t was a
splendid meeting, there being 2OS persons
present by actual count Rousing
speeches were made by Messrs. w. E.
Faison, w. c. Douglass and P. C. Enniss
who were applauded enthusiastically as
they made telling points.
Mr.. Faison made a strong and earnest
appeal to the working classes. He said
for a selfish reason, if no other. they
should vote for a dispensary as it would
save many a dollar to them; that he had
been working for some years for the up
building of the working man and no
question concerned them, or would better
their condition more than to have the
bar-rooms closed. He stated that he was
proud to be able to take a part in this
movement, for he wanted it distinctly
understood that he wanted all to know
how he stood, and in taking this stand he
knew, as they did, that he was working
for their interest and urged all to be sure
and register and vote for the dispensary.
Mr.. Douglass took up one by one all the
location, attractions, loafers, secretive
ness, night drinking. social drinking,
treating. In contrast he showed how the
dispensary did away with every one of
these properties of the open saloon, ana
left nothing but the naked liquor itself
to be sold in bottles and not consumed
on the premises. Mr.. Douglass speech
made a decided hit.
Mr.. Enniss, by way of encourag cement,
told of the time a few years ago when
there were more than $50 towns in the
State that had bar-rooms and today less
than twenty-five that now had open
saloons The last Legislature was the
first in the history of the State that had
passed an act affecting the entire State:
that the temperance sentiment was grow
ing rapidly in North Carolina He argued
that the dispensary properly constructed
was the only solution of the liquor traffic;
the the social feature was the greatest
evil resulting from the open saloon. The
dispensary movement was not for the
benefit of the formed appetites of the
present generation, but was for the pro
lection of the rising generation.
THE REGISTRATION.
Registration for the dispensary election,
which will be held on Monday, October
5th, will close on Saturday, September
2eth. If you did not register at the last
city election you should do so at once,
or you cannot vote out the saloons and
share in the honor of having done your
part toward a better Raleigh. Register
today!
Mr.. w. o. Scott, registrar in the Second
Division of the Third Ward, who had reg
istered negroes without requiring them to
be able to read and write the State Con-
stitution, made the following statement
yesterday:
Nineteen negroes have registered in
this division, including James H. Young,
and Henry S. Christmas. All could read
and write to my own knowledge, except
one negro whom l had known for sew
eral years, and he swore to a lie, so l
scratched his name off the book. l have
lived in this division for forty-four years,
and know every colored man in it.
have not been given the Constitution, and
consequently l use the newspapers, to ex
anime those whom l do not know can
read and write. Several of the negroes
who have been registered here are preach
ers of the gospel"
Cut off his namel That is right, but it
is better not to put them on the registra
ton books until they are tested IN ac-
cordance with the provisions Of the law
Inasmuch as Registrar Scott says he has
never seen the Constitution of the State,
which he has sworn to obey, the News
and Observer will this morning send him
a copy so that he may become acquainted
with that instrument which guarantees
to him and all others their rights and
ropo A II of q
Constitution and a strict following pf the
election law is recommended to him and
to all other registrars.
SLANDERING THE PREACHERS.
Some of the emissaries of the saloons
are not as careful in handling the truth
as they ought to be. For example: they
are spreading abroad the report that all
the preachers in Raleigh are not in ia
vor of the dispensary and that some of
them are actually opposed to 1t. Up to
yesterday they named no names, but yes
terday they gave it out that Rev. Alvin
Belts, who is a lifelong prohlbltlonst,
would not vote for the dIspensary. Rev.
Mr.. Belts was indignant at the report
which he regards as SANDER upon his
good name, and he said last night: 'Of
course | am a prohibltionlst and as such
vote against the saloons every time an
opportunity is presented. | shall vote for
the dispensary because it closes two
dozen saloons in the city of Raleigh and
therefore promotes temperance. | cannot
understand how any prohibltionist can
vote with the saloon in the present con-
test"
1t was reported last night that another
registrar had put on the registration
books two negroes who cannot read and
write. but the report came too late to be
verified The people of this city are in
terested more in preserving the good re
suits of the Constitutional Amendments
purifying suffrage than they are IN the
saloon question All registrars should be
careful TO comply with the law.