The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-25
fined his views clearly and forcibly
It is es follows:


police regulation is impossible. General
ly speaking. they exert demoralizing
influence upon the community in which
they are located, debauching the morals
and the politics within the radius of
their influence. Besides, many of them
have become recruiting stations for the
Republican party. In a large measure,
they are undOing the work of the schools
and the churches in these communities
eff liquor is permitted to be manufac-
tured only in incorporated towns the dis
tilleries can be subjected to rigid police
regulations and the evil. OF the business
would be largely diminished. At any
rate they ought to be adequately taxed
by the State and no retail establishment
ought to be allowed in connection with a
distillery, for a large part of the evil
OF these concerns grows out OF the retail
house which is almost universally III
connection with them.
IF the Legislature shall determine tC
confine the sale and manufacture of
whiskey to incorporated towns, each
town should. by a general law, be given
| an opportunity to vote upon the ques-
ton of prohibition or dispensary, so that
community would be made to depend
| upon the majority vote of that communi-
ty. OF course this general law should
be SO framed as not to require vote in
towns where prohibition or dispensary
already exists.
Senator Simmons expressed the hope
and opinion that the Legislature would
give these questions earnest and mature
considerations and ne added if the manu-
facture of liquor was confined to the in
cCrporated towns and the usual bar
room accompaniment, it would greatly
diminish the work of the Federal courts
| and might in the near future make it
possible to dispense with one of the Fed
eTal court districts in the State as well
as large part of the revenue force now
necessary, and relieve the State of the
odiOus political activity Of so many
revenue officials when the Republican
party is in power"
When the Legislature assembled
and Governor Aycock sent in his
biennial message to the General
Assembly, our noble Governor
treated of the matter of temper
ance legislation in this clear-cut
! and wise declaration:
SALE. AND MANUFACTURE OF Ii
QUOR.
For many years the Legislature of this
State have step by step narrowed the
limits in which liquor could be sold and
manufactured until at the present time
ho nj N
half of the counties of the State, while
! more than two-thrds of the counties
have either by county or Legislative ac-
ton restricted the sale to incorporated
towns. No good reason is apparent why
the Legislature should not in all the
counties apply the restriction which to-
day exists in more than two-thirds OF
them. This should be done for the rea-
son that in the country there is no police
supervision of the conduct of the bust
ness. Those who live in the country
have no protection from the evil results
growing out Of the manufacture and sale
of liquor. In many places the lawless-
ness due to this business has driven
good people who preferred TO live on
their farms into the towns for safety. |
recommend, therefore. that a general law
be passed prohibiting the manufacture
and sale of liquor throughout the State
save in incorporated towns The manu-
facture of liquor even in incorporated
towns should be subject to the same re-
strictions that now apply to the sale. If
your honorable body should pass this
law / believe that you would see good
results from it in the near future and
your action would meet with the APPROX
al of the best citizens of the State. In
passing a statute on this subject care
should be taken to avoid restoring the
manufacture of liquor where it is now
prohibited by law. Stringent provisions
should be made to prevent the operation
Of blockade stills. The State should no
longer depend upon the Federal Govern
ment to suppress this evil business"
The position of the News and
Observer, Senator Simmons and
Governor Aycock, we are persuad-
ed, is approved by the great mass
of the people of North Carolina.
There is nothing radical in the