The leader., 1903-07-01
STATE AND CONSTITUTIONAL PRO-
HIBITION.

EdlGOf LEADER Allow me
space in your paper for a few
words of explanation relating to
the great question of prohibition.
My being a candidate for repre-
sentative from this county, | think
it right that the people should
understand my position on this
question, as it is certain to come
before the legislature. It is being
circulated in this county by the
advocates of free whisky that un-
der a constitutional prohibition law
a man would be debarred the priv
ilege of sending out of the State
and purchasing liquor if he desires
so to do. Any man with sense
enough to vote ought to know
that this is a false impression to
start with. In the first place no
legislature that the State could
elect would have the power to
force constitutional prohibition
on the people if they do not want
it. If a two-thirds majority of both
houses passed such measure, all
they could do in the premises
would be to order an election and
let the sovereign voters of the
State express their wishes at the
ballot box as to whether or not
they want constitutional prohibi-
ton, and no true American would
object to the people having the
blood bought privilege of voting
on this. as on any Other question.
For my part, | am willing to
risk the matter with the people.
The coming legislature will
have the power to enact what
is known as statutory prohibition
which would form no part of the
State Constitution, but would stand
upon our statute books just the
same as any other law, subject to
being repealed by any legislature
that may be elected in the future.
Neither local option nor statutory
prohibition will settle this ques-
ton finally; but when the people
say at the ballot box that they
want the question settled for all
time to come by incorporating
prohibition in our State constitu-
ton, then and not until then will
the legislature have the power to
pass a law that cannot be repealed
and the liquor traffic laid to rest
as far as Mississippi is concerned.
The man who would object to
settling the question in this man
ner would fasten a saloon upon
us with all of it's damnable effects.
Now, as [ understand the mat
ter, this is a plain statement of
facts, which [ defy any man or set
of men to refute. If you want
to fasten the saloon on the young
manhood of this country vote for
the man who tells you that consti-
tutional prohibition will deprive
you of the privilege of sending
out of the state and buying whis-
ky. The man who would take
advantage of you in this manner
will do anything that is bad to get
into Office and will do things still
worse when he is in. The man
who seeks Office through such
dishonest methods is an enemy
to his county and should be rele-
gated to the rear forever My
position is that man ought not
to drink whisky at all and there
are a thousand reasons why this
is true; but the legislature of
Mississippi cannot pass any law
to hinder him in the event that
he chooses to do such thing. A
law that would prohibit man
from sending out of the State to
buy any article of commerce
would conflict with the interstate
commerce law and be in viola
tion of the constitution of the
United States.
No, brother, under this consti-
tutional or statutory law you will
have the same privilege to send
into other States and buy your
whisky that you have today.
Yes, send and get you a full bar
rel if you wish and stand it on
end, get the Ratchet and knock the
head out, then get you a tin cup
and stand there and drink and as
you drink let the sweet strains of
your musical voice be heard on
the morning breeze as you sing
the old soul stirring hime, ;"
''This is the way long have sought,
And mourned because I found it not"
All this you may do under any
law that the Mississippi legisla-
ture will have the power to pass.
Yours very truly,
j. A. SCARBOROUGH.
, Bogue Chitto, Miss.