The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-03-03
THE LEGISLATION
FOR TEMPERANCE
A Review. Effects OF the
Watts Bill.
POWER GIVEN IHE PEOPLE
Temperance Men Must fnforc ---inti-Jug
Law and Uniform Closing Of Saloons al 8
P. NJ. Should Pass--So Country Stills
Should b Incorporated.

To the Editor:-The most significant
ft ature of the situation with regard 10
progress in the temperance cause in
North Carolina is this: THE PEOPLE
HAVE THE QUESTION ABSOLUTELY
IN THEIR HANDS
If they desire prohibition in any city
or county they can get it. If the friends
OF prohibition are really aroused, they
will not fall back now because the Lon
don bill has been defeated, and wait for
| another General Assembly. They viii 20
| right on with the battle. 1t is far wiser
tc establish prohibition bye vote of the
| General Assembly.
| If in any city or county the people are
| not ready for ohibition-and they are
not ready in many-they may now go
forward into a campaign for dispensaries
with view to destroying the saloon and
making way for prohibition.
Let your disappointment in the Cen
eral Assembly be expressed in this man
ner rather than in complaints. Many
| members said, the people are not
| Itduy olHeIS Silu, iedNe II TO Jne peO-
PIE" 1t remains now for the people to
vindicate US who spoke for them and
said, the people are ready and they have
| spoken.
The sentiment that has aroused so
magnificently should not die now; the
| battle lies all before US We have fight
| ing ground; and we can sweep the State.
Indeed, if We shall not, / shall be will
ing to admit that the General Assembly
gUaged the proportions of the demand
| for temperance legislation more accu-
| rately than | did. | lay it down a
rule that it is unsafe to institute pro-
hibitiOn or restrictive measures in coun-
ties or cities that would not vote for
them in q fair election, now that the
ballot has been purged.
| So far practical advantage is con-
ccrned, [ do not regret that the burden
OF proof was not put upon the advocates
OF the license system. In my judgment
this would have given them, not US, the
advantage. 1t would have forced them
to get UP a petition; and the side that
gets up the petition gets up the first and
| most thorough organization. | did wish
our commonwealth to take high ground
to declare for prohibition, to recognize
the moral forces. But so far as prac-
|
lost nothing considerable here.
We have this advantage: In local op-
ton elections the advocates of the Ii
cense system must carry a majority of
the votes cast in order to win. On the
other hand, the temperance forces may
divide between prohibition and dispen-
sary. But from any point of view it is
| desirable that the opponents of the sa-
| loon in a town county shall act to-
I gether and present definite policy. 1t
will be unwise to institute a dispensary
where prohibition can stand; it will be
foolish to institute prohibition where
nothing less than a dispensary can stand.
They say that the Watts bill is not a
| temperance measure. That remains to
be seen. l regard it as a measure that
will make decidedly for the progress of
temperance in North Carolina. 1t was
desperately opposed by the liquor men
and desperately advocated by the friends
of temperance. OF course one may argue
that the distilleries and saloons Will only
remove to incorporated towns. | think
that there is more danger that they will
move deeper into the backwoods and be-
come blockade enterprises. l am sure
the towns will not tolerate them. There
are 518 registered distilleries in North
will reduce that number by two-t thirds
or more within a year And | fear that
many of them Will become unregistered
distiIleries.
Moreover, the Watts bill is supplemented
by the Revenue Act, which lays a heavy
license on distilleries and on wine sell
ing. This will also serve to cut down
the number of distilleries, and make the
local wine business far too costly for the
| crossroads store.
1 reach the hope, therefore, that the
Watts act as it stands will:
ID Reduce the number of distilleries
considerably.
Cd Improve the environment and con-
duct of distilleries.
i 80 With the assistance of the Revenue
Act put the wine shops out OF busi-
ness.
"a Abolish the rural saloon, gave
in incorporated rural towns, which must
be protected by county commissioners.
The Watts act permits the manufacture
of brandy, but the Revenue Act puts a
tax on manufacturers that sell brandy
and suffers it's sale only in unbroken
packages of FIVE gallons or more. / have
found many conservative men in the
General Assemb1y-good church mem
bers-that declare that a brandy clause
| must be inserted in any prohibition act
l take it that our country preachers have