The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-02-17

which he believed would mean the death
Of the Democratic party.
Mr. Watts: If il were put 10 a vote
OF the people. would YOU support any
measure that would disturb the present
method Of selling liquor N New Hanover
county"
Mr.. Morton: The gentleman is asking
a personal question. Mr.. Merton tl~n
answered the question hy saying that y
was personally opposed 10 prohibition.
re said he understood that these quos-
tions were asked for the purpose OF try
ing to show ne was opposed 10 the bill
anyhow
Mr.. Curtis: Did you not two years
ago vote for prohibition in Cumberland
county,
MIR. Morton replied that he had done
so at the request OF The Representative
from Cumberland.
He said these questions seemed 10 be
by a prcconccrted arrangement end he
begged that he be interrupted no furth-
or.
MIR. Morton then took up the bin and
said that first of all Il prohibited the
making all liquor in the country and
then in another place il permitted the
making Of wine. and then further on
down. it allowed the making OF brandy.
but not the selling or it, and nc under
stood the gentleman from Ircdcli was go
ing TO offer an amendment allowing
brandy to be sod also. Where was the
moral purpose in a 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-
yiding for druggists to sell liquor 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 a letter from Mr.. S. X.
Forney, Of Columbus county. upholdiEg
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 dwcIt further upon the principle of
self-govcrnment, and upon the fact that
any community could get prohibition
now, under the, law, if they wished it.
" - -- n
question of prohibition, a great big ma
iority of 1913, 900 had been cast against il.
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 fow 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 antagonizc those
who supported it.
Mr.. Morton replied that the Farmers
Alliance had already divon away onc-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
prohibitionists could not 20 over to the
Republican party, because they them
solves called that party the liquor par
ty.
Mr.. Smith then gave notice that he
would offer a substitute for the Watts
bill and all its amendments. entitled a
bill to regulate the manufacture and sale
OF liquor in North Carolina, in accord
ancc with the principles of self-govern-
mcnt.
Mr.. Murphy. of Rowan, then gave no
tice that he would offer his substitute
along the same lines as the gentleman
from Now Hanover. Hc would say he
was directly opposed to the Watts bill.
MP. LUCAS SPEECH.
Mr. Lucas said he had learned in his
experience that there Werc but two paths, |
the right and the wrong. He was much
obliged to his Young friend from IrcdcI
county for introducing this bill. and he
wanted to say to his young friends in tho
House that he understood their feelings.
They were a little afraid to vote for it,
although they half wanted to do so. His
advice to them was to vote for what
knew to be right. (A~pplausc).
But somebody had said that it would !
the Democratic party. with a fine
accent on the words that brought laugh
teri. They had a lower opinion Of the !,
party than he had. 1t was not
based upon any such corrupting or base
a thing as the liquor traffic. (Applauso). |
Pass this bin and trust the Democratic |
party to the people.
At this point tho hour for adjournment
30 o'clock arrived, and Mr.. Morton
rose TO the point Of order that the hour
Or adjournment had come.
Judge Graham moved suspension o.
he rules.
Mr.. Morton claimed this required two
notice.
The Speaker ruled that the rules could
% suspended at any time.
Mr.. Morton asked permission 10 look
~ the rules. It was granted by the
speaker, and while Mr.. Morton was so
Mr.. Lucas said: Il didn't know
hat my speech was cutting the gentle
nan so deep" This brought down tho