The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-16
MARION STILL WET
Effort to Drive Out Stills
From That Town
Fails.

town.
/ There was a great deal of speaking.
in the course of which the political
situation in Marion was dragged into
the controversy and the statement
made by Editor Woods Of the Marion
News that Mcdowell county was one
Of the most corrupt i'll the State and
that an honest ballot in Marion was an
lnposSibiity.
This statement was strenuously de-
MED by several OF the opponents OF
the bill, and it appeared during the
course of the discussions that both
sides of the controversy had petitions
signed by a majority of the qualified
voters of the town.
Marion has a population OF over tif-
teen hundred people and as late as
October. 1903, held an election in &C.
,ordance with the Watts act at which
the advocates of license of distifleries.
wholesalers and retailers won decis-
we victory.
Every latitude was given to both
sides to express their views and at
the end the committee voted as man
for an unfavorable report, the idea.
rs expressed by Mr.. McNinch being
that if the people of a community OF
| the size of Marion could not rid
themselves of the liquor traffic under
| the provisions Of the Watts act, senti-
| legislative action effective.
Mr.. Woods Opinion OF Mcdowell.
| There were present at the meeting
of the Committee Mr.. w. f. Wood, of
Marion News, representing the tenn
perance element: j. w. Pless, Esq,
representing the distillers on the sub
| iect of taxation only and j. G. l..
| Byrd, Esq, representing both dis
| tillers and barroom men.
| In explaining the bill Mr.. Woods
| first said that its provisions did not
! interfere in any way with the man
ufacture or sale of liquor in Marion,
except as TO its sale in McDoWell
/ County he declaring that the i'm
creased provisions in taxes on distil-
lcries were just and reasonable and
would sty'e the town from any serl-
| Gus loss in a financial way by the
/ closing Of the saloons.
"Why not present the question 10
| the voters and let them express them
! selves?' asked member of the com
| mittee.
| Mr.. Wood sighed. He is a tall gen
| tleman with sad manner ana sad
beard and sad eyes: The question
! seemed tn recall him to unpleasant
thoughts and mark him for a dis
| agreeable duty.
! "Our town and county, said he
| "are OF the most corrupt in the state
I hate to say It. but ii is SO. We
| tried to carry it for prohibition
! when a majority of the people had
asked for prohibition. Men We're
bought in that election to vote
against temperance and men who
| would not vote against prohibition
were paid to leave town. l don't
believe we could possibly carry the
election
Mr. Wood went on TO say that the
petition was signed by sixteen mer-
! chants out of twenty-seven. by GER
tain factory men, town officers, al
dermen, officials of the graded schools
cashiers of banks, etc, and by ma
jority of the qualified voters, includ-
ing the representatives of a majority
of the taxable property IN the town.
/ Answering a question from Mr.
Mitchell Of the committee as tC
whether the opinion Of the county
had been sought, Mr.. Wood replied
that it had not, as the county was
/ already covered by the provisions o.
the Watts law.
"Then why include the county,
asked a member
Mr.. Wood expressed his willingness
to revise the bill so as to only affec'
the town of Marion, explaining thai
| whether the Watts law applied Il
Mcdowell.
| Previously Mr. Wood had said thai
there was a misitpprchension as to the
position of Dr. Morphew. the repre-
| sentative from Mcdowell, who In
/ troduced the bill, yet was opposed tc
the measure, and he was put through
a course Of questions by the commit
/ tee:
.'Was the Watts law discussed III
the campaign ?"
I Yes
"Was Dr. Morphew in favor of it,
eyes"
"Dr. Morphew." added Mr. Wooc
i somewhat significantly, had beer
elected and everybody else defeatc
Somebody said that It had beer
/ intimatcd that Or. Morphcw hac
thought Of refusing election on the
ground THAT he had not been chosen
| fairly. and at this point DR.. Morpl,eW
| appeared before the committee and
asked to make n statement.
| DIR. MorphcM stated that he did mol
| want any charge made against hin
| unless he should answer it. Tic raj
| on the Democratic platform SquarelS
| and he took the nomination with re-
luctancc, because it was thought the'
he would harmonic the factions.
Retorted Mr.. Wood: "The liquor
| men voted for DR.. MorpheW.'
After some little discussion, Mr.
Mitchell stated that he felt reluctant
to take legislation without q clear ma
jor.iiy or the qualified voters.
"Why do you ask Us to give you
this legislation-how do you know
votes are bought SO that there cannot
/ be a fair election p
| 81 know it, replied Mr.. Wood. 81
| has been said he went Oh, THAI
| there are not ten men in Mcdowell
county who could not be bought. bu'
Il prominent attorney said the other
day That there We're not more thar
! fifty who couldn't be-
who was the man." asked several
of tho committee.
"Mr. j. G. T.. Byrd
At this juncture AR. Byrd rose
from his seat and said loudly, THAI
| is not SO.
| Mr.. j. ". pess. small and quick
good talk"r ana smart looking to a
/ degree spoke on what he called on,
corner Of the fight. that being the pro
posed Increase of the taxes on the
distileries. Mr.. Pless took occasion
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