The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-01
THE LEGISLATION
FOR TEMPERANCE
A Review. Effects OF the
Watts Bill.
POWER GIVEN The PEOPLE
Temperance Men Must Enforce Law iHt-]ug
Law and Uniform Closing Of Saloons al 8
P. NJ. Should Pass--No Country Stills
Should b Incorporated.
Should b 3, Incorporated.

To the Editor :-The most significant
feature of the situation with regard TO
progress in the temperance cause in
North Carolina is this THE PEOPLE
HAVE THE QUESTION ABSOLUTELY
IN THEIR HANDS.
If they desire prohibition in any city
or county they can get it, If the friends
OF prohibition are really aroused, they
viii not fall back now because the Lon
don bill has been defeated, and wait for
another General Assembly They will go
right on with the battle. 1t is far wiser
to establish prohibition by vote of the
people than TO institute il by act of the
General Assembly.
If in any city or county the people are
not ready for prohibitlon--and they are
not ready in many-they may now go
forward into a campaign for dispensaries
with view TO destroying the saloon and
making way for prohibition.
Let your dis1 1pointment in the Gen
eral Assembly be expressed in this man
ner rather than in complaints. Many
members said, 1.-The people are not
ready; others said leave il to the peo-
pie" 1t remains now for the people to
vindicate us who spoke for them and
said, the people are ready and they have
spoken
The sentiment that has aroused so
magnificently should not die now; the
battle lies all before us. We have fight
ing ground; and we can sweep the State
Indeed if we shall not | shall be will
ing to admit that the General Assembly
guaged the proportions of the demand
for temperance legislation more accu-
rately than l did / lay it down as a
rule that it is unsafe to institute pro-
hibition or restrictive measures in coun-
ties or cities that would not tote for
them in fair election, now that the
ballot has been purged.
So far as practical advantage is con-
cerned. 1 do not regret that the burden
OF proof was not put upon the advocates
OF the license system In my judgment
this would have given them, not us, the
advantage. 1t would have forced them
to get up petition; and the side that
gets up the petition gets up the first and
most thorough organization. / did wish
our commonwealth to take high ground
TO declare for prohibition, to recognize
the moral forces. But so far as prae-
teal advantage is concerned, we have
lost nothing considerable here.
We have this advantage In local OPP
ton elections the advocates of the Ii
eense system must carry a majority of
the votes cast in order to win. On the
other hand, the Temperance forces may
divide between prohibition and dispen-
sary. But from any point of view it is
fIpCi ha ha Of
loon in town or county shall act to-
gether and present definite policy 1t
will be unwise to institute dispensary
where prohibition can stand; it will be
foolish To institute prohibition where
nothing less than a dispensary can stand.
They say that the Watts bill is not a
temperance measure. That remains to
be seen. | regard it as a measure that
will make decidedly for the progress of
temperance in North Carolina 1t was
desperately opposed by the liquor men
and desperately advocated by the friends
of temperance. OF course one may argue
that the distilleries and saloons will only
remove to Incorporated towns | think
that there is more danger that they will
move deeper into the backwoods and be-
come blockade enterprises. | am sure
the towns will not tolerate them There
are SIS registered distilleries in North
Carolina now. l think the Watts bill
will reduce that number by two-thirds
or more within a year. And l fear that
many of them will become unregistered
distilleries.
Moreoker, the Watts bill is supplemented
by the Revenue Act, which lays a heavy
license on distilleries and on wine sell
ing. This will also serve to cut down
the number of distlleries, and make the
local wine business far too costly for the
cross roads store
reach the hope. therefore. that the
Watts act as it stands will;
ID Reduce the number of distilleries
considerably.
90 Improve the environment and con-
duct of distilleres.
81 With the assistance Of the Revenue
Act put the wine shops out OF bust
ness.
a. Abolish the rural saloon, save
in Incorporated rural towns, which must
be protected by county commissioners.
The Watts act permits the manufacture
Of brandy, but the Revenue Act puts
tax on manufacturers that sell brandy
and suffers it's sale only in unbroken
packages OF five gallons or more. nave
found many conservative men in the
General Assembly-good church mem
h6rs-that declare that brandy clause
must be inserted in any prohibition act
| take it that our country preachers nave
quite a campaign of education to wage on
this line
This reminds me that in the enforce
ment of the new law, the moral forces
OF the State have quite work to do
The blockade business must be ehoked
cut by alert public sentiment. SO must
the wine cider and brandy business be
guarded. count. too, on the moral
leaders Of the people to clear the fog
raised by those who cry out that the
ination is based on patent distinctions
Such discrimination as there is. is from
the moral point of view, favorable to
the eountry-decidedly so The diserim-
ination is based on patent obstruction
and is commended by sound sense 1t is
also in accord with the progress of tenn