The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-25
TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION THAT THIS STATE
NOW NEEDS.

regulation of the manufacture and
sale of liquor. These bills have
been introduced in response to n
strong popular demand made bv a
large element of the best citizen
ship of North Carolina. During
the past week the joint committee
On Propositions and Grievances
gave a hearing to parties who de-
sired to be heard in favor of or in
opposition to temperance or pro-
hibition legislation. The advo-
Gates of the pending bills requested
a delay until Wednesday and
Thursday, January 2Sth and goth,
when, it is expected, large delega-
lions will visit Raleigh to present
arguments in favor of positive
progress in temperance legislation.
On Wednesday of last week, how
ever, several lawyers, employed by
distillers, saloon keepers, or the Lii
uuor Dealers Association, made ar
y
and the Watts bill, protesting Wig
orous1y against the passage of
either. They wish the legislation
to stand unchanged. In so far as
these attorneys confined their ar
gument to their attorneyship and
did not follow it up by grave pre-
dictions of what might happen to
the Democratic party if their eli
ents got nad-so far their argu-
ment was entitled to the same
weight Of an attorneys plea in
court of Justice. Amy lawyer has
right to accept a fee to represent
the distil1ers and liquor dealers be-
fore the committees of the General
Assembly, just as he has a right in
court to represent a man charged
with any crime. As an attorney in
court, it would be unprofessional
for him to take jurors by the arm
and whisper to them about the
case on trial. He must conGne
himself to the examination of wit
nesses and legitimate argument to
the jury. Just so the lawyers who
have come to Raleigh, employed
by the liquor dealers and distillers,
have a right to make their public
arguments before committees, but
they are guilty OF unprofessional
conduct if they seek to influence
the jury by introducing matters
that are outside the record or by
injecting their political prestige
and using it to advance the interest
of their clients. AS lawyers, speak
ing for their clients and not for
themselves, they are entitled to
hearing. But, if while accepting
the fees of the liquor men to fight
their battle, they also use their po-
sition in the party to aid their
clients, then they have gone beyond
their professional duty and their
pleas are not entitled to considera-
ton because they speak as paid at
torneys and cannot divest them
selves of the zeal an attorney feels
for the interests Of his clients.
The liquor dealers and distillers
have raised a large sum of money
to employ attorneys to fight the
pending legislation. 1t is Il matter
yo1x 1ff IN 70
whether he will accept their money
and represent them in the pending
contest. But we protest that when
an attorney comes to Raleigh as
their attorney he has no right to
assume to be the guardian of the
interests of the Democratic par
ty. In the Hobbies of the halls, in
the hotels, on the streets, and
everywhere certain attorneys of
the liuuor dealers association are
trying to build UP a sentiment that
TO enact effective temperance
legislation will doom the Demo-
cratic party to defeat. go
on" said one of them yesterday,
with your prohibition legislation
and you will turn the State over to
the Radical party" The man who
made that utterance had in his |
pocket at the time a five hundred |
paid him by liquor men.
He was holding himself out as the
guardian of the Democratic party !
whereas he is really, as long as he
accepts fees to represent them, the
guardian and advocate of the dis
tillers and liquor dealers.
Shortly after the election the
News and Observer outlined its idea
of the temperance legislation that
the General Assembly of 1908
ought to enact. There was much
favorable comment upon the edi-
torial. Later, about the last of No
vember, the following editorial,
giving the suggestions and the ar