The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-17

Temporary organization into your hands
flor permanency it Is our desire that
this great movement may continue to
attract the conservative men Of this
steadfast old commonwealth.
80 this platform differs from some
that have been adopted by temperance
conventions. We nave not had a word
Ito say abou the analysis of the alco-
iholic stomach. We have neglected to
mention the familiar figure of the lady
lat the punch bowl. The platform is
backing in that it does not contain a
trade against the spilling of good wine
ION the PROV of a battleship. 1t has no
declaration against tobacco or coffee or
tea or Vinegar. We have put away
childish issues because we are men.
This is a mans movement, trying to
lenlist voters who must be men.
Il think it is Significnt that we have
been able to read in u newspapers
this day the following events. A dis
Itillery tried to get into Rocky Mount
land succeeded. A wholesale liquor
house tried to get into Charlotte last
might n by the unanimous vote of
Jour board of aldermen it failed. The
aldermen of the city of Durham last
might ordered the saloons to close their
doors at s o'clock in the evening and
Ito take ava the side doors n screens,
land clouded windows whereby the sa-
|~loonkeeper proclaims that he loves
darkness rather than light because his
deeds are evil. The county commission
iers refused to grant license to the sa-
loonkeepers Of the town Of RoXboro,
land n of the interesting matters in
connections with this action is the
Threat to close the graded hoo of that
town for Lack of the saloon evenue.
4 a uD the last episode first. 1t
reminds me Of a story of an Alabama
ldarkey who stole some clothes from a
dude in Birmingham. We want to edu-
lcate our children. Please God We are
lgolng to out an education within the
reach of every boy and girl in this good
told commonwealth. But we are not go
ling to educate them at any such price.
1--WE are not going to take the children'S
bread and cast it to the dogs that other
children may have an education. We
lido not need the d~runkardS blood upon
Iour heads in order to put the knowledge
lof books into the chlldren's heads.
THE Watts law provides that the
county commissioners may refuse Ii
lcenSe even when the town commission
lers have granted it. and that it gives US
Ia double chance at the saloon. We can
appeal to Caesar when Festus denies
Jus u will. We can appeal to the NOR
lal sentiment of the great country side,
1.-THE Drawn and brain and conscience OF
lour people when the hoOdlums of the
ltOWn vote us down.
"Durha~o has also taken a forward
lstep. Let US restrict the saloon where
we cannot vote it out. Let US check its
lpoWer to do wi even when we are pre-
lsently to kill it as believe Durham is
IgOing to do. Many a bow will be saved
lby that early closing ordinance, many
"a business man will make up his min
that he does not are for the whole
profane or pious own to see him drink
when the screenleSs front-dOOr saloon is
1.-THE only kind left. Scotch where you
I~cannot kill. Scotch in order that you
may kill.
And then we have Charlotte
Strengthening it's determination to fight
THE saloon and Rocky Mount, deternIin-
ling through this defeat of its better ele-
ment that the time has come for the
whole thing to 80, distillery, saloons
land all. We are often Obliged to the
devil for raising an issue for us.
The first resolution of this platform
lcalls for the independence Of this or
lganZation. We are going to drive out
the saloons and distllleries from North
carolina. without waiting for the aid or
consent of any other nation or state.
I'VE are going to avoid ent1ngling alli-
iances. We may send missionaries TO
ionic With its three dry CO mites. o"
teach them how much better the Watts
law * than the Mann law, But we
Ihava our own problems We under
stand our own conditions. Independence
lis a soou North Carolina word, any
lWay.
And we are nOn-partisan. We wei
leone all to cur ranks who believe with
lus that the saloon and the distilleries
Are no solution of the liquor problem
al al, and that we wan-t 10 cure the evil
lOf drunkenness.
AT the same time this league will
accomplish very little If it does not Sc
Icure for itself the wholesome respect OF
IeVery man that wants public office. We
must teach them that the most dan
IgerOus thing for a politician to tamper
with is the bar-room vote, that it will
damn any man IN North Carolina VINO
iaSplreS to public office. Let US not be
too hard on the politician as he formerly
had the fear of the saloon vote before
his eyes. 1t was our fault, not his. We
stood Supine and saw him murdered if
The dared to stand against the saloon.
LET 1t ring out from this convention and
Ire-echo in every county n township
lOf the Old North State. that the man
IWhO controls the saloon vote IS the
imam who is controlled by the saloon
vote and is the man to cave at home.
land this can be don without weaken
ling for a moment the loyalty of any
imam to his party.
we are told in the old Scotch legend
jof how the members of Clan Alpine
IWere to the rallylng Of the
lclan for the battle with the hated low
LANDER. A flaming cross. crimson with
blood was the signal and the clansfnan
lWhO was the SWiftest runne was sent
with it to Dear it OVer mountain and
Ivale through forest and flood. until ev-
Iery nan hat could bear arms had
seen It's crimson stain. And at the
lsight Of that cross the farmer left his
lploW and the shepherd his sheep, the
bridegroom bade his bride goodbye at
the church portal and the Sol eft his
father body to be buried by the hands
of the WOmen-kind Every business was
dropped. every pleasure was DUO away
and the clansman hurried to the nus
lterlng place. And when the FLOODED
lcrOSs fell from the hands of the runner
another took up its flaming message and
Isped on. And accused was the man
lWhO saw that sign and went lot to the
battle.
W. pass the signal or to YOU To-