The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-01
THE LEADERS ARE
MUCH ENCOURAGED
Anti-SaIo1n Forces to be Well
Organized.
LETTER FROM Mr.. NOME
Dispe ,sary Works Well in Franklin, Va. vi ich
Has Reform d Wonderfully From Being
Tough Town With Open
Saloons.

Saloons.
This afternoon at four o'clock there will
he mass meeting of all the ladies of Raj
eigh, of all the churches in the city, in
the First Presbyterian church. to arrange
the details of the joint work to be done
up 10 including next Monday in the in
terest of the dispensary and toward shut
ting up the open saloons in the city of
Raleigh A big and enthusiastic meeting
is expected, for every woman in Raleigh
is deeply, vitality interested in this the
greatest question of the day to all our
citizens
Tomorrow night at eight o'clock in
Olivia. Raney Library Hall there will be
a great mass meeting of all who want
open saloons shut up in Raleigh, men and
women both At this meeting the plan of
work for Monday at the polls will be final
~ settled and outlined
Let Raleigh come out victorious in its
fight against the saloons and the cause
of temperance in North Carolina will go
forward with electric impulse. Every
man. woman and child in the State ought
to wish the capital city God-speed in its
endeavors against the common enemy of
all-Greenville Reflector.
Mr. Monte Argues for the Dispsnsary
To the Editor: With the approaching
election. we. as citizens, are brought face
10 face with a social problem that de-
mands the attention OF every reflective
mind who is interested in the welfare of
our community. 1t is no part of our pur
rose to enter into a discussion of the
temperance question with all the soul
narrowing details that might be brought
TO bear upon this great subject. In this
day of rush and hurry of business. men
arc seeking fol truth; and they are ask
ing themselves the question, Does the
saloon as a force in our midst pay eth
er morally or financially? We answer no.
in either case. If we turn to the unchal-
lenged statement of the Hon. A. a.
Thompson we find that it costs the people
OF Raleigh S172,S75 annually to keep an
open saloon system in our city. and that
$11SO00 would be saved annually By the
dispensary. And if we take into account
the necessary police surveillance. the costly
criminal proceedings In our courts. as
compared with the revenue receipts, we
not pay. But what is all this compared
with the moral issue at stake? How long
viii u be ere the people of our fair city
awake to a sense of their responsibility
and their duty as citizens in relation to
the liquor question? When we view the
fact that two out OF evevY three OF the
cases IN our Wake county courts are eth
or the direct or indirect result of drunk
enncss AS already stated, this is no
temperance lecture, still this tale that
has oft been told and to many it may fall
on hstesS ears. What need any one con
Germ himself so long as we can have
blood-curdling, sensational cases to adorn
our criminal dockets? Why should il
concern us that two out of every three
should get drunk. SO that they can qualify
themselves to become offenders? The
criminal courts are busy-they would be
unspeakably dull if people kept sober; the
jals are full. two-thirds of the inmates
would be walking at large tomorrow If
they could be kept from getting drunk.
What shall be said of the lunatc asylums,
aims houses, dens of immortality, etc. Z?
From the days Oh Noah down to The
present. drunkenness has ever been the
same Empires have passed away, ma
tons great and mighty have become all
but forgotten, the cites of their greatness
have crumbled into dust; ever and anon
war. the grim monster, Haurts its red
glare over the once peaceful habtations
of men. exultingly waving the demon
banner amid the carnage and strife of
battle. with its confused noise and gar
ments rolled in blood; but wars cease
and the harvest of the golden grain rises
from the ashes of the scene of deadly con-
hict Famine, with its deadly scourge,
and pestlence, with its awful, loathsome-
ness, may stalk abroad feasting upon its
tributary subjects, but all these pass away.
But how different is it with this Unsuitable
thirst for liquor, living personality that
never slumbers nor sleeps. The strongest
intellects. stars that have shone in the
worlds lurinary, held within the grasp
of this world monster have set in utter
shame and obscurity. With the men en-
gagged in the saloon business we have this
to say. that there are among them men
of big heart and head, we venture to say
that there are some engaged In 1t who
would be glad to be engaged in other
walks of life. To such we say it will add
to your everlasting peace and comfort to
get out of this particular kind of business,
although it NAV entail some sacrifice.
We share in the feeling with many
throughout this broad land that the sa-
loon, as an influence and as power IN
the shaping Of the politics of this country,
Is now on the last quarter of century OF
its existence Why? Because of well
digested public sentiment, the most pc
tent of all forces in the body polite. This
great monitor. public opinion, is doing
more for the amelioration of mankind than
all the laws that can be enacted
What will the answer be on next Nor
day. October 5th? Shall it be that OF
righteousness, peace and prosperity reign
ing IN this community? The eyes of the
state are upon us. and it behooves us as
citizens who have at heart the welfare of
TINS the metropolis, t g great educational
centre of our Comr ealth, to see 10 it
tnat TINS great D. testion shall re-
ceive the act;' nersonaI care
VI every go T community.
" NOME.
WORKS " rIyIIN
one OF tne DC ~ginia is
Franklin. near IT, Ia line