The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-02-19

FOR STATUTORY PROHIBITION.
State Mass Meeting at Jackson Well Attended Despite the
InClement Weather.

that tend to build men up into bet
| ter lives. 1t breeds every social
disorder and wars persistently upon
the homo and all organized society.
1t wastes tho living of dependent
women and children, and destroys
the productive energy of the people.
1t seeks to control for corrupt pur-
poses political parties. 1t enslaves
many public mon, subve1ts public
justice, adebauches the public con-
science, schools it's patrons to per-
jury, and is the implacable enemy
Of both church and state. We de-.
clare that every effort to regulate
the traffic by license laws has been
failure; that while the law forbids
any one to engage i'll the traffic who
is not ofssgood moral character, that
there is that inherent in the traffic
which inevitably subvorts moral
character, and as result the bust
ness drifts into the hands Of men who
are morally dcpraved And SO far
reaching is its evil influence that in
some instances the law against the
traffic has failed, for the reason that
the corrupting influence of the dram
shop at times reaches the inner pre-
cincts of justice and subverts all law.
We therefore condemn the license sys-
ten Of the beverage liquor traffic, in
any form, as delusion and snare,
and declare that the only consistent,
wise and righteous policy for this state
is to withdraw from all partnership
in, or completely with 1t; to put it
under the ban of law, to turn against
it the whole power of the state, moral
and legal, as common enemy, not
only bad in itself. but the ever ready
and willing ally of all other evil forces
which afflict society. No people have
the moral right to licens sin to raise
the public revenue.
Second. In view of the premises
/
sion of an amendment to the constitu-
tion prohibiting the sale of liquors
throughout the state by the leglsla-
ture at its next session, and at the
short session following, if the amend
ment carries, the enactment of a pro-
hibition statute in accord with such
or II
tional amendment be voted on and
if possibl enacted into statute law
the legislature is requested to. enact
such restrictive amendments to the
present local option law as will effect
ually prevent the extension beyond
existing limits cf the liquor traffic.
Third. We distinctly oisavow any
purpose OF desire to form a separate
party organization. We retfia1m the
declaration made by the first prohibi.
tion state convention, July goth, 1881,
and frequently repeated since, that the
cause of prohibition should not be
entanged with party politics, and
that the interests of this great reform
should be sacredly enthroned above
nero contest for place and power.
However, since tho consummation
aimed at by prohibitionists must needs
come by legislative sanction, and
since prohibition laws are dependent
for enforcement upon CIVIL officers
elected by the people; without distur-
bing the patty affiliation of any pro-
hibitionists we urge all friends of this
reform to use their influence and votes
in the selection of candidates by their
respective parties in the impending
campaign,a as to insure the nomination
of men for the legislature and admin
istrative offices who are friends to
prohibition rather than it's avowed
or secret enemies.
To better facilitate the accomplish
ment of this end we recommend the
calling of county mass meetings to
create prohibition sentiment i'll the
several counties and to secure concert
Of action in the carrying out of this
policy, and to prevent the unlawful
use of liquor for election purposes
Intemperance should not Doe count
enanoed in rublic officials, and no
drunkard is worthy Of support for pub
lie Office.
Fourth. We are the friends of law
and order and believe in exalting and
respects 8 all the laws of our beloved
state SO long as they are laws; and III
evory county and community where
the laws are not properly observed,
we recommend the organization of
civic or law and order leagues to
corporate with civil officers in the
securing of better law enforcement
along all lines.
Fifth. We favor tho porpetuation