The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-30

money sent out of Yadkln every year TO
buy meat, although the distillery Stops
made such ecellent food for swine. But
the distilleries were almost the only
source of money in the county
Mr.. Curtis: "Lont you think that If
they were to feed that corn to their hogs
instead of making it into liquor they
would have more meat?" Irresistible
laughter).
Mr.. Reece replied that corn from which
liquor had been distilled made better food
for hogs than the corn before it had been
so used
Mr.. Curtis: Then it must take lot
of meat for Yadkin county" more
laughing).
Mr.. Reece: Notwithstanding all the
clapping of hands, we do send out of the
State largs sums of money to buy meat
for home consumption"
The speaker then went on to speak of
the political phase of the matter. and
dwelt upon the fact that the Democrats
of Yadkin did not want this bill unless it
was voted on by the people of the county.
Mr. Hinton asked: who represents
Yadkin in the LEGISLATURE"
Mr. Reece: NO matter if Yadkin is
represented by Republican in this Leg
islature. l am here representing the De-
mocracy of the county
. A little later on during his speech, SEN
ator Brown asked Mr., Reece: ''How
many stills are there in your county,"
Mr.. Rice: About forty"
Senator Brown: NO wonder Yadkin is
Republican, Uaughter).
Mr. Reece: Those distilleries bring in
$500 900 to the county. We have no other
source of revenue in our county,
Senator Brown: Can they not be
moved into the towns?"
Mr.. Reece: There are no towns for
them to move into" Oaughter).
Senator Brown: DO you mean there
are no Incorporated towns in Yadkin?"
Mr. Reece: There are two or three
little towns of under 500 people, but they
won't let the distilleries come in" (Tre-
mendous applause and laughter).
Then it was suggested that the Watts
bill made no provision as to size of town.
Mr. Rcece then said they could not be
in the towns because it would bring them
too close to the schools. and he went on
to speak of the splendid schools of Yad-
kim if it was a Republican county.
Finally, he simply brought the house
down about his ears by saying: What
/ can't see is why anyone should want to
take a distillery from the county, where
no one can see it, and put it into town.
Tha is erfectly absurd
Mr. Curtis came up with his inevitable
question: do you think. if it came to
an election in Yadkin, those dstilleries
would tread and bribt voters with Ii
quor?"
Mr.. Reece: Il believe they would, and
l believe that some of the Prohibitionists
there would buy liquor. too. and bride
votes with it. An some of these people
who have been squalling here today
would bury liquor and buy votes for pro-
hibition with it,
Mr.. Curtis: you speak of your good
schools that would not allow a distillery
near them How do their neighborhoods
compare with those where the distilleres
are?''
Mr.. Reece: where liquor is sold at
retail from distillery. the influence is
very bad. But most of Duh distilleries
are enclosed, and the doris are kept lock
ed and no one but revenue officer is
admitted. Absolutely no liquor can be
cold at most of them.
Mr.. r. n. Simms, of Raleigh, said that
much had been heard of the amount of
money coming in from the distilleries If
he had testimony to show that Yadgin
county cost the State $4,000 more than
it paid in, and that Wilkes, of which so
much had been heard. cost the State
$1,000. And SO it was in every liquor
making community. there was par-pen-
sion.
Mr.. Simms said because as a Democrat
to Democrats, that he had always been
a Democrat. and hoped he would not have
to be a prohibitionist, that it would be
enough to be a Democrat.
He then read a letter from Mr. Wood
house as follows:
"In a conversation with you some time
ago We discussed the hopeless condition
of Yadkin county as a political unit in
State government, and also the posi-
bility OF q cure Now, since the very
remedy you prescribed has been brought
before the State Legislature, and since
L have talked with many of the best
citizens and leading Democrats of the
county | will write you in regard to that
remedy. | find an almost universal
opinion among the Democrats here that
4
on the manufacture and sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors. Yadkin and some of the adj |
Joining counties are noted for such man
ufacture. There are several counties
here almost in a solid body that are
especially famed for still houses Re- |!
publicans and poor folks. Each of the
counties referred to was at one time
either Democratic by majority or about
equally divided. The change to Republi- =
can majorities overwhelmingly large, was
brought about by no other factor than
the government STILL and if that could
be wiped out in the country it would do
more to restore the Democratic party to
power than any other one thing. There
is another side to the questionable moral
side, bat l shall not follow that into de-
tails l think it is the duty of all hon
est and good citizens to rise up and in
one universal chorus proclaim an eternal
doom for the abnominable liquor traffic.
Aside from that-aside from the fact that
it is a bold and public enemy stalking
through the land, seeking whom he may
devour, it behooves all good and true
Democrats just now to make a terrible
onslaught against the greatest enemy TO
their party. The Republicans of this and
other counties use the distillegies as
recruiting stations for their party while
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