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

watts law is enforced Tor the next
eighteen months.
Therefore, We call upon the advo-
Gates of temperance throughout the
| State to avail themselves of the provi-
sions Of the Watts law, and to provide
for a strict enforcement of the same in
every section. By so doing we believe
| conditions will be ripe for the grating
| upon our present temperance laws the
features of the London bill, for which
we commended unsuccessful before the
| last legislature.
I'VE believe the principles Of the on
don bill to be just, reasonable and prac-
teal. and their ultimate enactment into
law should be the goal of temperance
agitation Inc effort"
Rev. NJ. Davis, of Berthe, moved the
adoption Of this report.
DR.. L. L.. Nash, of Rocky Mount. sec
onded the motion and spoke of the ne
cessity of public sentiment to back up
and make possible the enforcement Of
the law. He considered this great
movement was made possible by the
agitation in 1881 in this state. We We're
really making progress, said he, and he
heartily endorsed these resolutions.
DR.. NJ. A. Smith, of Union. said that
he for one, was very grateful for any,
thing they could get in the shape of
temperance legislation. But there was
bitter disappointment throughout the
SldlC llldl Tie Dlll lIldl DOI6 TIE lldIllS
of London was not passed. (Applause.)
The wishes of the masses of the people
had not been met, and they would new
er surrender until they were. But they
would do everything to stand behind
the Watts act. But he wanted it dis
tinctly understood that Union county
was for the London bill.
DR.. TempletOn. of Wake. said that he
was not in favor of any organization Of
private citizens for the enforcement Of
any law. The constitution provided
fully for this. The object of t~aXataiOn
was obviate the necessity of this very
thing. Men are paid to enforce our
laws. If they do not do so. we must go
to them and complain and force them
to do their duty.
He was in favor of all that Watts
bill advocates. making a proclamation
to the executives of the law to the eff
feet that if they did not enforce the law
they would kick them and their gang
into the middle of next week. Cap
p~lause.)
Then Mr.. w. c. Douglass, of Wake,
said that the trouble was there had
been too much standing behind the Of
fcers. WhiSkey was an invention of
the devil, and you can't moraliZe with
hlm. He favored meeting him squarely
on the field with money. and he was
willing to share a part of his means
to this end. Raleigh was thoroughly
organized. and when this convention
| meet again he believed that there would
be no. a single saloon IN the city. loud
a~pplause.)
Mr.. Bailey said he thought there was
danger that this convention would look
to the legislature to do the work they
| ought to do themselves. put off till the
next legislature what they ought to do
now this year.
For his part he would rather go into
a fight with the saloon men with the
burden of proof instead of with it on
the side Of the side of the saloon men,
for nothing would be worse than to win
an easy victory. as the saloons would
then soon get in, we being careless.
Rev. H. F. C~hreitzburg. of Gastonla,
told a story of a crew that was ship
wrecked. where the men called on the
minister to take an oar. while the little
weak fellow prayed. He was glad to see
the ministers taking an oar.
The question on the adoption of the
report was then put and it was adopted.
Mr.. McKelway then read the d~eclara-
| ton principles as suggested by the COM
mittee of the league:
"Declaration of Principles Of the
North Carolina Anti-Saloon League.
The North Carolina A~nti-Saloon
League is an Independent body, main
tanning friendly relations with similar
| dSSOCldllOllS III OlIcT States Out II IS
entirely independent in its acts, and it
is non partisan in character.
It's purpose is the abolition of liquor
saloons n diStilleries by all proper
means; the creation and Capitalization
of a righteous public sentiment, and the
proper enforcement of all laws against
the liquor traffic. 1t favOrs the firm and
just enforcement Of the Watts law. and
it earnestly requests future legislatures
not to incorporate small towns with the
privilege of licensing saloons or distlll-
cries.
1T calls the attention of boards of
commissioners of the various towns and
cities to the danger of WhlSkey distill-
cries and rectifying establishments now
forbidden to operate in the country, re-
moving to incorporated towns or cities.
This should be prevented.
This organization favors calling an
election under the existing law in every
town or city now licensing saloons,
where there IS a reasonable chance of
carrying the election against the sa-
loon. This league pledges its assistance
in all such elections"
Then Mr.. Mckelway spoke to the
platform as follows:
This paper which it falls to my lot
to eXpound. and if necessary to defend
is significant on account of it's OmiS-
sions as we'll as for its statement of
principles. l call upon this convention
to remember that II is a representative,
but not a legislative body. What we
say here and what we do here is of
small consequence unless it be ratified
by those whom we affect to represent.
the people Of North Carolina. We who
are here have come up to our capital
city at our own charges to give our
time and u thought to this great
cause. but by that very fact We are
disseminated from those who did not
come. We are some go strong. but the
voters Of North Carolina to whom We
must make ur M appeal. are go. 900
strong and While il is recorded in the
Scripture that one shall chase a thou
sand, ii should not be our desire 70
scare the voters from the polls. If We
were to set ourselves TO the task of get
ting a majority vote of every locality IN
North Carolina. il means that every one
of US must influence 500 votes besides
our own 70 make a majority Of one
thousand votes cast. This should be a
SOLDERING thought 10 Is all. We c0uld
probably pass through this convention