The leader., 1903-01-28

statutory Prohibitionin small areas, 63
of the IS counties of the State stand
to day redeemed from the debauching
influence of the Iegalized dram shop.
1t has been outlawed in those counties
by the votes of the people themselves,
whose representatives have gone to
Jackson and voted for its perpetuation
in other counties. On the Mobile &
Ohio railroad along the eastern border
of the State, not licensed dram shop
is to be found, from the Alabama line
on the South, to the Tennessee line on
the North. Along the entire main line
of the great Illinois Central, from the
Tennessee line on the North, to the
Louisiana border on the South, but one
licensed town is traversed. On the
Yazoo & Mississippi Valley branch,
from Jackson to it's northern terminus,
and along the Aberdeen branch ex-
tending easterly through the central
portion of the State from Durant to
Aberdeen,n not an open dramshop exists;
while across the State via the Georgia
Pacific, from the Alabama line far into
the Delta, and via the Alabama Great
Southern from the Alabama line across
the State to Vicksburg; along the
Northeastern from the Louisiana to
the Alabama line in Southeast Missis-
sippi, and again from Jackson along
the Gulf & Ship Island to Harrison
county, the same condition prevails.
Only in IL counties in the entire State
three on our gulf coast, one in CEN
trail Mississippi, and the rest scattered
through the Delta and along our
Mississippi river border-does the
dram shop exist by sanction of State
law.
This has been practically the situa-
tion for decade. In these counties
the traffic has become fortified behind
a perverted and misguided local
public sentiment, backed by the
money and active sympathy of
the whisky interests beyond the
State, whenever mere local
effort is made to dislodge iN In these
counties the dramshops continue as so
many plague spots, poisoning the moral
and political atmosphere about them
and by plying their boldly advertised
and vicious sing trade, spread the evil
contsgion to the dry counties beyond.
In every local option contest, whether
brought on by Prohibitionists or dram
shop advocates. the brunt of the fight
against the combined liquor interests
nearly always falls upon the ministry
and the consecrated Christian women
of our State who are thus brought into
hand to hand contest with the worst
elements of society of both races, mar
shalled under the red banner of the
dram shop. The strange anomaly
is often presented of white men, who
will not tolerate the negro at
the ballot box under any other
circumstances, exerting every eff
fort to get him registered and
standing shoulder to shoulder with
him at the polls for the liquor traffic
against the best men and women of
the community.
I So much without referring to the
palpable wrong and inconsistency of
the States longer continuing as con-
ditional partner in confessedly i'm
moral and nefarious business. For a
money consideration, the State Ii
censes the dram shop. Thereby she
adopts that institution as her own, pro-
tects and dignifies it with her author
| ity and laws. and really becomes CO.
partner in the business, since she re-
ceives a liberal share of the profits.
I Bpt for what purpose is the dram shop
set upa Simply aud solely that the