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

committees If any were ready. Chair
mar j. E. Underwood that
the ond Field Work and
F1nance was ready. and this was call
ed for and read by the secretary, Mr..
{ j. D. Parker, as follows: Your Com
mittee on Field Work and Finance,
recommend as follows:
i That five thousand dollars be
raised for the prosecution of the work
of the Anti-Saloon League during the
year.
-. That pledges be taken during this
| convention for this amount.
"3. That two field secretaries. the best
men available, be appointed to organize
the work, one to operate west of
| Greensboro, the other east
Action on this report was postponed
| for the present.
The committee to name a Central
Executive Committee reported the fol-
lowing names: N. B.. Broughton,, T. n.
1Vey j. A. Oates, I. c. Blair, A. J. Nc
| kelway, ]. o. Atkinson. 7 w. Bailey,
]. I. Johnson and W. H. Sprunt.
: SPEECH OF Mr.. HENRY A. PAGE.
, The enforcement of the Watts bill
with reference to country dlstillers was
the topic of the address of Mr.. Henry
a. Page. who said:
1.-THE proper enforcement of any and
all law depends upon two things. First,
honest officers, and second, public SEN
tlment, general respect for law behind
the officer. We were here last winter
asking the Legislature for the enactment
| of laws for the control and restriction
OF the liquor business, and We told them
very plainly what We wanted. We did
not get what We wanted save in this
one clause with reference to country
dlstilleries, and we were told by these
law makers that We were asking too
much that. public sentiment would not
| Snnn0rf rho Waite hin wa, a,-l 49,.
1t Would fail of enforcement for this
reason. We shall be here next time the
legislature = in session asking AGAIN
for the enactment of those important
feature of the London bill which he
Watts bill does not carry, and it Is up
to US. II l may use the term, to show
these tlmld statesmen that the crumb
of law they gave US can be enforced.
with this task before US. let us look
the situation squarely in the face, and
count the cost before hand. We may
be sure that the attitude of the distillers
IS one OF resentment n defiance. No
rogue ever felt the halter draw with
good opinion of the law and the dis
tIlIer may be counted on to defy the
Watts bill, in localities where he thinks
1t IS safe to do so, and to evade it
everywhere. Whiskey-maker is but an
other name for 1aw-breaker. No man
VINO loves law and order can begin the
business, and if he could begin it, he
could not long remain a whiSkey Stiller
ana at the same time a law-abiding cit
lzen. The whole accursed business is the
cradle and nursing bottle of lawlessness
and violence. 1t is we'll known that
laws on our statute books purporting
to regulate and control this business.
prior to the enactment of the Watts
Dill. nave been generally diSregarded
and violated. Sales have been made in
quantities prohibited by law, taxes
eVaded' and in many cases the stuff has
Deen sold at less than the proper tax.
We cannot then expect the d|istiller to
respect the Watts law, except as he is
made to do so. Some of them will move
from the dark corners they have al
ready ~debauched, into still darker cor
ners and sWamps, and continue to make
WhlSkey and sell WhiSkey IN defiance
of all law. others will soon evade the
law while pretending TO comply with it's
provisions, change their licenses to
brandy dlstillers. make whiskey at
night. with the connivance of the store
Keepers and SuagerS. as heretofore. We
have nothing then but opposition and
a~ntagonism to expect from the diStill-
ers. h of their neighbors and Gus
toners? Can We hope for cooperation
from them? Let US see. Where hav
the distillerieS been located? In pros
porous enlightened communities: No,
these have been closed to them. and
~ NN&O~ DON1A poSSApiC lIiCil 10
the last place upon earth a distiller
would choose at which to conduct his
business. Intelligence instinctively
fights evil. and insists upon obedience
to law. and the diStlller knows it. hence
he had avoided these communities. The
! already dark corners where ignorance
is the rule and vice prevails is his ideal
location. and here he has pitched his
tent to debauch ignorance n rob pow
erty. Working with such a weapon and
upon such material. is it any wonder
that poverty became poorer. ignorance
more dense and vice more vicious? In
most cases. the distlllers customers
have become not simply ~apOlogists for
his laWleSSneSS. but his partners in
crime, as well. The distiller IS the chief
parsonage in his community: the own
er OF the only painted house in the val
/ ley. the hOlder OF MORTGAGES on the poor
farms and poorer souls OF his ~neighbors.
The diStiller'S ~neignbOrs and customers
share his laWleSS spirit. From them we
can expect nothing in our efforts to en-
force the Watts law. On the contrary
they Will be found aiding the distiller
to eVade the law. and adding nightly
70 the difficulties of the problem con-
! IrOnting Us. We must not only ferret
out the Illicit diStiller in the house of
his friends II SympathiZers. but If We
would permanently better conditions
! described. we must civilize and Chris
1 A-AAL sAAaA 1ANaNs1At liz " E-plS ltt ~ vi
Her. 1t must be opened To the light of
the church and the school house. and
Tie teacher and preacher must be sent
. sustained. Neither Will be well
coined. We may be sure. This touches
upon the broader question Of the educa-
! JiG0 and training OF our ignorant. and
! by tins means and by this only IS il
possible 10 secure Z proper en-
| ToT,eUent OF law. But While Va throw
! all oar influence with these movements
Tor the b~ettermeEt OF the whole people.
- Us not forget that there IS work Of
another kind To be one for the imme-
Late enforcement OF the WAITS act. We
CaEe got 70 uphold the officer OF the law
not with moral supper only. but with
physical force as we'll. i need be. in
seeing thar the fires under these worms
of hell are not rekindled. = thu officer
IS not vigilant and active. " v.orse still.
# his Svnnathies are with the law
| breaker. as IS often the case. don't let
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