The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-25
THE DEATH KNELL OF THE
WBISKEY 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 as 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
30 per cent. The Mann bill allows no
liquor to be sold in any town of less than
5000 population without the consent of
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.
Uuquestionably the Virginia Legisla-
ture took a more advanced step with re-
gard to saloons than the Legislature Of
North Carolina, but the Virginia Legislo-
ture took no step at all to forbid the
6emoralizing influence of distillcries in
the rural districts, an influence in many
cases much more debauching than many
saloons. Taken altogether, the North
Carolina Legislation viii drive out as
many places where whiskey is sold or
given away to make drunkards as the
Virginia law, because North Carolina
towns are voting out bar-rooms under
the Watts bill Absolute prohibition of
whlskey in the rural districts of the
State is such long and important step
as to make the North Carolina meas
ure in many respects quite as good if
not better than the Virginia legisla-
ton.
The Richmond Christian Advocate
warmly commends the Virginia General
Assembly for passing the Mann bill 1t
says, that Judge Manns victory illus
tIates the fact that legislation is the re-
suit of compromise If you cannot kill,
cripple the enemy. From the very ex-
cellent and virile editorial upon this sub
jeet by Dr. Cafferty, of the Richmond
Christian Advocate, we make the follow
ing extract:
There has been a distinct revolution
in the tactics of the reformers as re-
CARDS the suppression of the traffic in
alcoholic beverages. Half century ago
the lecturer was a sot 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 cti-
zens. the pull on their purses to pay for
the ruin wrought by liquor was made
plain. The cost of criminals, paupcrs
police, by reason of the work of the sa-
Icon, 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
dNtNuAN Wo0 flAAANANt hp II NtiS AOuui
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, fox-huntine
instead of furnishing a pcrnicious 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 tC
fasten tins vile trade on community
made tho 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
knocking the decent aud virtuous white
citizens after n contest over the salOor
augmented tho 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 anC
its sooty sots. The fanatics, who in hate
ard fear of the South, set the muddy foot
of the rice-feld negro upon the necl
of culture, honor, Christianity. became
thereby tho champions of this aceurse'
traffic. fastening it upon tho States of th'
South
when Commonwealth after Common
wealth cut the roots of the saloon b!