The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-02-10

ton that betray men into sin, and so give
them fair chance to make themselves
moral. Statutes can prevent saloon Keep
ers from making men immoral The oth-
er day Mr.. Bryan, one of the representa-
tiVes from Wilkes county, in the commit
tee meeting replying to Rev Mr.. Brad
shaw'S earnest appeal in behalf Of pro-
hibition for that county advised Mr..
Bradshaw to preach the Gospel instead
of prohibition, adding that men could
not be legislated into doing right. Such
argument that these liquor men offer is
the veriest tommy rot.
Again it is charged that prohibition is
an invasion of private rights and is sub
versive of liberty. Whose rights are in
yadcd?
The saloon and the liquor house exist
under the protection of a civil right-a
right created by the State No man can
fairly claim in organized society ma
tural right TO sell liquor. "A license is
not required for the exercise of natural
right" But if one sells intoxicants by
civil right, does he thereby acquire the
privilege of compelling the State to grant
him this right forever? Rights are sccur
ed by law. If any mans rights are
abridged by prohibition let him appeal to
the courts. 1t is the boast of our civili-
Zation that under our laws for every
wrong there is a remedy Why do these
liquor coyotes decline to avail them
selves of their privileges in the courts,
and be avenged of their adversaries?
Because by an absolutely unanimous
line of decisions of the highest courts
both of this country and of Great Bri-
tain they have been repeatedly told that
not solitary right of theirs is invaded
by prohibition
But prohibitory laws are denounced as
form of sumptuary legislation. If the
charge We're true, what of it? There is
not we'll ordered government
in the world which can af
ford to dispense with all
sumptuary laws The sale of decayed
vegetables and of tainted meats is pro-
hbited. Poisons and explosives are sub
ject to the most stringent prohibitions.
Shall these statutes be repealed? This
cry of ''sumptuary legislation is an ap-
peal to prejudice which reveals the
straits to which the men who make it are
driven to find arguments with which to
support their cause.
Then they say prohibition does not pro-
hibit- Now the truth is, a prohibitcry
law is just like any other statute. 1t is
successful where it is supported by pub
lie sentiment; it is failure where it is
not thus supported. 1t restraines drunk
enness a S much or more than murder laws
restrain homicide.
Put prohibition in a town or county
and a once you see the jug trade with
the neighboring license places springing
up If the alw fails to prohibit the sale,
why are the red -nosed topers forced to
send away from home to get their jugs
filled?. This very fact brands the argu-
ment that prohibition does not prohibit
| as lie. In prohibition towns and coun-
| ties drinkers have to send elsewhere to
| get their jugs filled. If prohibition does
| not prohibit why do the whiskey men
oppose it and employ men TO fight its
passage and raise $500 to pay them like
| they did in Wilkes county.
And Mont WeIlborn our Senator and
| tool of the whiskey ring has the gall to
| say that prohibition fails to prohibit in
| Ashe county, and further that he could
scarcely get to the isis for drinking
| men that during his race with Mr.
| Bowie the speaking was broken up by
| drunken crowds &c. When asked about
| this latter declaration Mr. Bowie recalls
| only one place where there was any
! drunkenness at all The first time oul
! people have heard of people crying in the
Liquor for sale" was when Mont
| last week told it, and remember the place
| where they raised the cry-I1on II. NJ
| Wellborn's home.
! Then again, it is inconvenient to sen6
| abroad to have a jug replenished and Sc
| the jug trade soon perishes. The stream
has to run so far from the spring before
| it gets to the drinker, and on tho way is
| so exposed to the scorching rays Of al
| aroused public opinion it soon dries up
| In conclusion, a great battle is on il
| cur State. The greatest question in Norel
| Carolina today is the liquor question:
Shall we be ruled and dominated ant
dehauched and damned longer by th
| enemy Of hell. No, thousand times no
Let us work and fight and pray for tn.
| passage of the London bill.
L. p. BOYLE.
jefferson, n. c., Feb. A. 1903