The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-08

| SuCA weapon anu upon sSuSu ludIelidi 10
it any wonder that poverty became poorer,
ignorance more dense and vice more vic
ous? In most cases, the dstnlers GUS
toners have become not Simply apologists
| for his lawlessness, but his partners in
crime as we'll. The distiller is the chief
parsonage in his community; the owner
| of the only painted house in the valley,
the no4uer of mortgages on the poor farms
and poorer souls of his neighbors. The
distiller' neighbors and customers share
his lawless spirit. From them we can
expect nothing in our efforts to enforce
| the Watts law On the contrary they
will be found aiding the distlller to evade
the law, and adding nightly to the aIfi-
culties of the problem confronting us. We
must not only ferret out the illicit dis
tiller in the house of his friends and sym
pathizers, but if we would permanently
better conditions described, we must civil
ize and Christianize and educate the whole
dark corner. 1t must be opened to the
light of the church and the school house,
and the teacher and preacher must be
be sent and sustained. Neither will be
welcomed, we may be sure. This touches
upon the broader question of the educa-
ton and training O. our ignorant, and by
this means and by this only is it posi-
BILE to secure exact and proper enforce
ment OF law. But while we throw all our
influence with these movements for the
betterment of the whole people, let us not
forget that there as work of another kind
to be done for the immediate enforcement
of the Watts act. We have got to up
hold the officer of the law not with moral
support only. but with physical force
as well, if need be, in seeing that the fires
under these worms of hell are not re-
kindled. If the officer is not vigilant and
active. or worse sIill,' if his sympathies
are with the law-breaker, as is oIten the
case, don't let politics geep you from
kicking him out. and ge ng in man
who will do his duty. We are all at one
time or another, and to a greater or less
degree, poli-.~-ans, but l have come to
the forks of the road now on this whis
key question. With me it is the para
mount issue / do not want a crank
nor fanatic nor a one-idea man to re-
present me in the legislature, but do say
my friends that would rather have either
than a whiskey jug; and / do not pro-
pose to support any man for the General
Assembly who is afraid of the whiskey
devil. There is, as see it, but one way
to accomplish anything like an enforce
ment of the Watts law with reference to
country distilleries, and that is through
thorough organization. There should be
strong central organization here in Raj
eigh, with plenty of money to quickly ac-
complish the thorough organization of
the whole State by counties, townships
and towns. This work needs to be done at
once, and we should not be dependent
upon spasmodic voluntary contributions.
How the money is to be secured will be
pointed out by some one wiser than /.
but t must be had, for now as of old.
THE Master hath need of it" We must
organize and organize and reach from the
outside boundary our organization and
take in others and still others until we
approach these dark corners from an |
sides, preaching temperance and educa-
ton and obedience to law, until aroused
public sentiment shall, in every nook and |
corner of North Carolina, brand the law
breaker az a felon, and Danish HIM from
the community. Down with drink, up
with the drinker. Our purpose should be
to save men from drink, and to down
drink, the habit, the business, the whole |
accursed traffic Woe is he that putteth
the bottle to his neighbor's lips" is old
enogh for battle cry. We should ex-
tend to the poor victim of the dram shop
the new dispensation of sympathy and
encouragement and help, and at the same
time do our dead level best to fill the iails
with whiskey makers and sellers.
Then Senator F. M. Simmons was re-
cognized by Chairman London and in
vited to address the convention. He APP
preached the platform amid greet ap-
plause. 1t was real ovation.
He said that while he might not be in
sympathy with all the objects of the as
ISOLATION. he did believe in sobriety. in
morality and Temperance, and was in
hearty accord with the purpose to compel
the enforcement of a law that tended to
ure that was best calculated under all
restrain the liquor traffic.
He spoke of the Watts act as the meas
ure that was best calculated under all
the existing circumstances TO meet the
actual conditions He believed that ii
would pave the way for a law later on
that would be more of temperance
measure better than a, more prohibitive
one would have done.
This measure was not made law with
the sanction and consent of the liquor in
terest in North Carolina. Any man that
says that the liquor men outside or in
side of North Carolina had anything to
do with it is a disciple of Ananas and
the truth is not in him.
Had it not been for the unshaking of the
temperance forces of the State there would
have been witnessed the spectacle in the
last Legislature of house divided against
itself.
The practical questions were: Can you
enforce it? Will you enforce it? If the
advocates of this measure were not mis-
taken when they said that the majority OF
the people favored it. then its enforce
ment would be easy. If they were mis-
taken, we cant enforce it. There has
never been legislation of this kind since
the world began that could be enforced
or could enforce itself unless the senti-
ment of the people was behind it. But
|, said he, do not believe that you were
mistaken"
MY friends. l believe in this legisla
ton, | believe it means great things for
North Carolina not only for temperance