The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-13

| 1t would be throwing at them a cold and
heartless stone when they asked for
bread
Mr.. Morton offered an amendment that
| the act should not apply to any county
unless it shall be ratified by a majority
| of the qualified voters at a general cleo
tion held in the same manner as for mem
/ bers to the General Assembly.
MR.. MORTON AGAINST THE BILL
Mr.. Morton then spoke to his resolu-
ton, on the inherent right of the people
| to self-government
The bill, Mr. Morton declared. did not
meet the requirements of the people who
were sending up petitions to this Legis-
| lature. In all these petitions, he had
not found one that asked for any other
but the London bill, which meant prohi-
| biton, pure and simple. eff we are to
| Yield to the wishes of the great moral
4 forces of the State, preachers, good Wo-
men and churches; if we are to grant
| their wishes. then show me wherein this
| bill meets the requirements. l stand
| ready to put my shoulder to the wheel to
| help any movement for the moral up
| lifting of the State, that will not con
| fiict with the success of the Democratic
| party. For ! tell you the Democratic
party is of more benefit to the moral
forces of the State than any prohibition
measure you could pass"
From time immemorial in this State
men had been licensed to sell liquor.
The principles of elf-gOvernment are
older than our forefathers.
Mr.. Watts: eff we so amend the bill
as to give the people what the moral
forces of North Carolina want, would
you vote for it?''
Mr.. Morton said that if he was here
to legislate in accordance with resolu
lions passed by the church conventions,
he would vote for it. But as the repre-
sentative of the Democratic voters of his
county, he would not vote for a measure
which he believed would mean the death
of the Democratic party.
Mr.. Watts: IF it were put to a vote
of the people, would you support any
measure that would disturb the present
method of selling liquor in New Hanover
| county?"
Mr.. Norton THE gentleman is asking
personal question" Mr.. Morton then
answered the question by saying that he
was personally opposed to prohibition.
tions were asked for the purpose of try
ing to show he was opposed to the bill
anyhow.
Mr.. Curtis: did you not two years
ago vote for prohibition in Cumberland
county,"
Mr.. Morton replied that he had done
so at the request of the Representative
from Cumberland.
He said these questions seemed to be
| by a preconcerted arrangement and he
begged that he be interrupted no furth-
| err
Mr. Morton then took up the bill and
said that first of all it prohibited the
making all liquor in the country and
then in another place it permitted the
making of Wine, and then further on
down, it allowed the making of brandy,
| but not the selling of it, and he under
stood the gentleman from Iredell was go
! ing to offer an amendment allowing
| brandy to be sold also. Where was the
moral purpose in bill like that? They
| could not ask for his vote or the vote
! Of any member here on the moral ground.
| There were no morals in that bill.
Then he referred to the section pro-
viding for druggists to SC! f~ucr upon
prescription. He said he had never seen
a single drug store in the country
Mr.. Morton then declared that the
passage of such a bill would make many
Eastern counties Republican
Further, he said that the City Boards
Of Health would not permit stills in
the towns of the State.
He read letter from Mr.. S. X.
| Forney, of Columbus county, upholding
his amendment, and saying that Governor
Aycock and Senator Simmons were going
too fast to please the mass of the peo-
pie, and that there was great danger of
the State going back under Radical domi-
nation.
Mr.. Morton then said that the matter
was not mentioned in the campaign; that
the members of this House had not been
sent here on any such platform as this.
Mr.. Bullard, of Cumberland said he
had been elected on this platform of
prohibition.
Mr.. Morton said he knew that was true
of Cumberland county.
He dwelt further upon the principle of
self government, and upon the fact that
any community could get prohibition
now. under the law, if they wished it.
At the last general election on the
question of prohibition, a great big ma
iorty of $4,000 had been cast against it.
1t was true the negroes voted then; but
not a negro in the East voted against it,
and even taking away the entire negro
vote, it still left a good majority of the
! white voters against prohibition.
| Mr.. Morton closed with an appeal not
to vote for any measure that might put
| US back to where we were a few years
ago, under Radical rule, with all that it
meant.
Mr.. Parker, of Wayne, asked if Mr..
| Morton did not also fear that if the bill
was not passed, it would antagonize those
who supported it,
Mr.. Morton replied that the Farmers
Alliance had already diven away one-half
of the country people from the party.
Mr. Watts interrupted by denying this,
and was ruled out of order.
| Mr.. Morton then said that he would
answer Mr. Parker by saying that the
prohibitonists could not go over to the
Republican party, because they them
selves called that party the liquor par
| ty.