The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-20
IT SHOULD NOT BE REPEALED.
The Sampson Prohibition aw Needs Only the
Anti-Jug Amendment.

Anti-Jug Amendment
To the Editor: Will you allow me to
present through your paper some facts
with reference to Prohibition in Sampson
county.
The movement for Prohibition began IL
November 1900, and the initial meeting,
called by public notice in the news
papers, was held in the courthouse in
Clinton.
The object of that meeting was de-
clared publicly to be
First. To ask the Board of County
Commissioners to grant no licenses for
retail of liquors in Sampson county
Second. To apply to the General Assem-
bly, for the enactment of Prohibition
law for Sampson county.
An organization for these objects was
formed and a canvass of the county to
secure petitions was begun, and petitions
were circulated in every township These
petitions were signed by two-thirds OF
the white voters of the county, including
most of the best citizens and almost all
the leading Democratic as we'll as Popu-
list and Republican politicians and pub
lie officers. They were signed by every
ministers of all denominations.
A petition was first presented to the
Board of County Commissioners, after
due notice to the retail liquor dealers
who appeared personally and by counsel
before the board. After full discussion
the commissioners declined to grant
licenses and together with the County
Board of Education signed an official
petition to the Legislature asking that
the Prohibition law be enacted for the
county.
The petitions bear the signatures Of
over 100 white voters or more than two
thirds of the registered (white) voters
Of the county. The canvass had been
publicly made and all meetings he'd been
public.
A committee was appointed to present
the petitions to the Legislature, and upon
the first visit of the committee to Raj
eigh a request for delay made by the
liquor men was granted so that they
might have full time to prepare their
case. At the expiration of two weeks
the representatives of both sides APP
rcarcd in Raleigh before joint session
of the Committe on Propositions and
Grievances, when and where a full hear
ing was had and the bill was almost
unanimously recommended and was en-
acted without further opposition.
Prior to the meeting of the last Demo
cratic county convention certain of the
leaders Of the opposition to prohibition
were very active in endeavoring to stir
up public sentiment to demand a popu-
lar vote upon the prohibition law. Thcs>
hn
vention and introduced resolutions dc
clarinG the Democratic party to be in
favor of asking the General Assembly
to provide for the submission of of pro-
hibition to a popular vote in Sampson
These resolutions were freely and fully
discussed in open convention and over
Whelmingly defeated.
The issue was not made in the county
canvass. We rejoice that the true lead
ers of the Democratic party in North
Carolina are taking high ground for the
regulation of the liquor evil. and have at
last an opportunity to deal rightCouSly
and justly with this most demoralizinG
of all agencies against the prosperity
and happiness and peace of our homes.
The efficiency of our prohibition law
has been hampered by the jug train
as in other sections, but with the enact
ment of a general law forbidding the i'm
portation of liquor into prohibition terri
! tory We shall be content.
| Our good citizens do not desire ever
| again to see such a deluge of whiSKry
as prevail here before the prohibition
| law was enacted and are firmly confident
| that the members of the present I.cgls-
lature will not subject US to the DONNA
ton of the whiskey ring again.
A. u. JOHNSON.
Clinton, y. c.. Jan. II, 1903