The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-03
Anti Saloon Forces Are
Given Warning.
NOW KNOW YOUR men
Chairman Bailey Of the Anti.SaIoon
League Points Out the Conditions
and Bids the Temperance
Forces Both to Watch
and Fight.

Let no one fall into the notion that
the battle against the saloons and dis
tilleries in North Carolina is over.
We are only in the beginning of tho
final struggle, and the fighting just
at hand is hotter than any that we
have encountered hitherto. 1 doubt
if many of our people know just what
has recently been going on in this
matter
1 have sufficient reason to warn TIC
people of North Carolina that a care,
full and powerful effort is now on foot
to turn back the tide of temperance.
overthrow the success 50 far achieved
and utterly discourage our forces And
] have the gravest reasons for say
ing that this effort is not to be
laughed at, but on the other hand
calls for every ounce of earneStness
in the souls of those who have de-
clared that the saloon must go.
The LIQUOR makers and dealers have
a large campaign fund. They have
skilled political workers in their en-
ploy. And they are at this moment
hopeful that the next General AS
semhly will arrest for twenty years
or more the progress or Temperance
in North Carolina. And IL they should
succeed in this endeavor. 1 doubt if
we could regain our present advan-
tageous position I'm two generations
The situation. is. to say the least
grave.
The liquor dealers arc not leading
a forlern hope. They know as well
as that nothing short OF a thorough,
a determined, an indomitable upris-
ing of the people Of North Carolina
will be sufficient to overwhelm them
They reckon upon the Indifference on
our part that so often follows an
early triumph. And I regret to say
that there are evidences that some of
our people have fallen into this fatal
state of mind.
Let us review the present situation,
Our present advantage rests uron
the Watts Act. especially upon tina:
part of the Watts Act which pro-
hibts the sale and manufacture of
liquors outside of incorporated towns
and cities.
The Republican State convention
has pronounced against this very act.
We have nothing, therefore, to hope
for from this quarter. Wherever
possible. the friends OF temperance
who are in the habit OF voting with
that party. must demand that Repub-
lican candidates for office. more par
ticularly candidates for the Genera,
Assembly, shall openly repudiate this
plank in that platform. Promises of
something just as good" or general
declarations i'll favor or temperance
are more than apt to prove snare
and a delusion. This is no time for
parleying. We cannot afford to give
up all that we have gained. we cam
not afford to surrender our present
magnificent advantage, we cannot af-
20 oh e.
distillery our country districts, our
country schools, our country homes
our country boys and girls. at the
behest of any partisan or for the sake
Of any candidate or in the name of
any party.
Let us here and now nail our col
ors to the mast; and if there must
be surrender, let the enemy surren-
der.
We must meet the issues some
time. There never will be a time
when VIC can meet it so successfully
as now. To falter or postpone or
evade in such time as this is prac-
teal desertion of the cause.
The Democratic State convention
endorsed the general principles" OF
the Watts Act More particularly, i;
affirmed that the principle of pro
hibiting the manufacture and sale Of
liquors in unpoliced districts is rs
sound as the principle of prohibiting.
the sale of liquor to minors or the
sale of liquor on Sundays.
This is good. But there was a de.
termined demand upon the Demo,
: cratic conventions committee that j.
either refuse to endorse the Watt
Act or leave the act open to amend
ment by the next General Assembly
While the declaration that I have
oh o11Ifn lxn f<N<1 '
the mind of the opposition-as mani
tested in the Committee on Platform
to suffer our people to fall asleep
in the assurance that an effort is nor
on foot to amend and destroy this
act. I do not think that that clause
of the platform which says that "tho
General Assembly may be trusted to
make all amendments that experience
and the conditions may demonstrate
to be wise and proper" refers to OF
should weaken the absolute declara-
ton that "the principle that no Sa.
loon or still shall operate except UNI
der police protection is as sound rs
that whiskey shall not be sold to
minors" etc. But know too well
that unless the people make them de-
clare themselves beforehand there
viii be many members of the mex,
General Assembly that will plead thii
clause ir their defence while they de-
stroy that Watts Act and strike dead
ly blows against the cause of temper
ance.
In fact the hope Of the liquor max
ers and dealers is to elect enough Re
publican legislators to join with a GER
tain set of Democratic legislators
who will Wink at the platform Of their
party and by amendments and other
measures render that act null and
void. They have warned us!
For one thin they will demand
that each county be permitted to vote
on the question. That is. they will use
the principle of popular vote for a
pretext to throw our cause into con
fusion. The liquor advocate always
seeks to plead his cause in some de-
cent name.
For another thing they will seek
more or less clandestnely. TO incor-
porate many areas throughout the
State for the special benefit of liquor
dealers. after the manner in which
Williams Shore ana about ten places
in Eastern North Carolina were in
corporated by the last General AS
sembly. If you want such places in