The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-16
TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION.
of the MOvements of the
Anti-SaIOon Leagues.

To the Editor:
You are respectfully requested to
unblish the statement herewith. as n
matter of information, and for the
sake of the legislation proposed.
J.. w. BAILEY, Chairman.
Raleigh, Jan. 8, 1908.
The following are the features Of the
temperance legislation proposed by
the executive committee of the North
Carolina A~nti-Saloon League in ses-
sion with authorized representatives
# the North Carolina Methodist con-
ference and the Baptist State conven-
iOn:
/. Prohibition OF sale or manufac-
ture of Intoxicating liquors outside OF
incorporated towns. Prohibition OF
sale OF liquor in towns of less than 500
population. whether incorporated or
not. Prohibition of manufacture Of
liquors in towns Of less than 1000 pop
Ilation, whether incorporated or not.
The distinction is made between in
corporated towns and uni~ncOrporated
communities because incorporated
towns are organized and policed. 1t is
made also to protect the rural dis
trictS from the saloon. 1t is made also
to protect the towns and cities from
being surrounded by saloons. The dis
tinction is made in respect to popula-
ton mainly to prevent the evasion of
the law by the Incorporation of saloon
or distillery settlements.
2. Local option elections in inCorpOr-
ated towns of more thar 500 inhabi
tants at any time upon thirty days
notice and upon petition of one-third
of the qualified voters; provided cleo
tions shall not take place oftener than
once in two years.
In such elections the question Of sa-
OOns or prohibition, or saloons @ dis
pensary, or dispensary or prOhi Dition,
may be submitted as petitioners may
request; only n question at an cleo
ton, however.
5. Prohibition of the Importance of
liquors by any means into prohibited
or dispensary territory.
4. After July !, 1903, all applicants
for license to sell or manufacture Ii
quors shall present with their applica-
ton petitions in their behalf signed by
q majority of the qualified voters,
save in those towns and cities in which
betWeen the date of the enactment Of
his bill anG July 1, 1903, an election
shall have been held and carried for
saloons.
These propositions are clear, and
need no exposition. They look to the
suppression of the saloon and distll-
lery in the rural districts, and to local
opium eISCllOllS III lit bON 'IId
cities in the near future on a fair and
reasonable basis. There should not be
a saloon in any town or city unless
the majority Of the people expressly
call fol it.
The people of North Carolina are en-
titled to this. They have long been
opposed TO the saloon. They have
with it. They have been hampered
by the ignorant vote. They have
stood in fear of division. But these
things are now passed. And now that
they are passed, the general assembly
should freely grant the peoples petit
ton for a fair opportunity to grapple
With the evil that in their long af-
Fiction fastened itself upon them.
Especial attention is directed to
paragraph four. That calls for the re-
cognition on the part of the general
assembly that the people OF North
Carolina. are moral people. The sa
looms nov; exist not with the consent
Of the people of North Carolina, but
solely because conditions have pre-
vented the moral forces of the state
from asserting themselves in elections
against the saloons. Every intelligent
public man in the state knows that
this is true. 1t is but reasonable to
ask now hat the patience of the peO-
pie be rewarded, and that the true at
\ u vi IN illC ]'@~N'
Is it unreasonable TO resume that the
saloons should not be opened unless il
is expressly voted by the majority to
open them? Is it more reasonable tC
presume that the people Of North
Carolina desire the salOons-recOg-
nized as ruinous, as the sources of al
lanne of crime-to go on with their
work unless they vote to the contrary
To be sure, he does violence TO the
character of the people who holds that
they favor saloons and that saloons
mast exist until they have been voted
out. One does not ask 4 good man i
he loves virtue. His character is an
swer. One who believes in the people
of North Carolina will say that the
people desire the saloons closed, and
he will not ask the people to prove this,
but will bid the saloon men disprOVe
it. This is just VIA paragraph four
calls for. 1t is fair; it is representa-
tive; it is reasonable; it is only a just
recognition Of the patience Of the
moral forces Of North Carolina; it
presents them with the opportunity
that they have long waited for. II
their name we ask for this recOgni-
ton and this opportunity to vindicate
themselves and those who respect
them. J. w. BAILEY.
Raleigh N. c., JAN. 2. 1903.
The Executive Committee:-N. B
Broughton, a. ]. McKelway, ]. .
o. Oates. ]. w. Bailey, and Q. K
Nimocks, representing the n. c. Con.
ference, and VI. L Kesler, representing
the Baptist State Convention.
Worse Than q Blow